Dentists are more likely to develop occupational diseases due to the routine use of arms and shoulders with the same patterns of movement. Musculoskeletal disorders encompass several pathologies that are the main cause of early worker withdrawal and can lead to symptoms that hinder professional activity, such as pain, fatigue and even the spine functional impairment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms related to the dentists' professional activity. This is a cross-sectional quantitative study. Data collection was performed at the Dental Specialties Centers in the cities of Crato, Juazeiro do Norte and Mauriti in the state of Ceará. To collect the data an interview script and the Nordic questionnaire -adapted NMQ were used. Of those interviewed, 83.33% reported pain in the last 12 months; 46.66% reported some pain in the last 7 days; 36.66% reported that pain was an obstacle to work; 53.33% sought a health professional for consultation related to pain in the last 12 months; and 90% correlated the pain experienced with work. The anatomical regions that most professionals reported were pain in the lower back, neck, hands, shoulders and upper back. Given the severity of musculoskeletal symptoms and their consequences on the health of dentists, it is fundamental to adopt practices that aim to prevent their onset. Keywords