A Change Management Approach to Promoting and Endorsing Ergonomics within a Dental Setting

Abstract

Musculoskeletal pain and disorders (MSDs) constitute a well-recognised occupational hazard to the dental community. Fortunately, they are preventable. Dental office ergonomics plays a key role in addressing these musculoskeletal challenges. An ergonomic improvement project based on Kotter’s eight-step change model management theory was implemented within a dental practice. The project provided valuable evidence-based ergonomic interventions to prevent or reduce MSDs. The task force motivated staff to engage in strategies and interventions to enact an ergonomic vision. This case study represents an action plan to guide this ergonomic change. The key results of this project were an evidence-based ergonomics health promotional brochure, reduced sick leave attributable to MSDs, and workplace ergonomic checkpoints. The ergonomic change model represents an ongoing process where innovative trends and evaluative methods can be supported. Research limitations and practical implications were acknowledged.

The Ways to Promote Wellness Tourism in Muang District, Chachoengsao Province

“…1. There are 2 main types of wellness tourism in Muang district, Chachachoengsao province which is physical (Anshasi, R, Alsyouf, A., and Alhazmi, F., 2022). and spiritual.…”

Ergonomic Intervention Practice at the Workplace in Asian boundary: A systematic review

“…Findings from the synthesis analysis indicated that ergonomic interventions have been frequently employed in Asian countries via three distinct approaches: device or tool-based interventions, administrative interventions, and a combination of both. As shown in Table 4, seven articles explored the utilization of devices or tools as a means of ergonomic intervention (Alipour et al, 2021;Antwi-Afari et al, 2021;Arunkumar et al, 2019;Darliana et al, 2020;Kong et al, 2023;Mohammad Yusof et al, 2021;Ramdan & Candra, 2021), seven articles focused on the use of administration (Alghadir et al, 2021;Anshasi et al, 2022;Dhole et al, 2021;Heidarimoghadam et Hijam et al, 2020;Lin et al, 2022;Rahman et al, 2019), and eight articles used a combination of both approaches (Esmaeili et al, 2023;Kee, 2022;Motamedzadeh et al, 2021;Rostami et al, 2022;So et al, 2019;Susihono & Adiatmika, 2021;Susihono & Gede, 2020;Yang et al, 2021).…”

“…Nonetheless, several scholarly articles have underscored the importance of periodic follow-up assessments to ensure their efficiency and sustainability (Esmaeili et al, 2023;Heidarimoghadam et al, 2020;Lin et al, 2022;Ramdan & Candra, 2021;Susihono & Adiatmika, 2021;Susihono & Gede, 2020;Yang et al, 2021). In terms of sample size or participant selection, certain articles employed mathematical formula to ascertain sample size (Dhole et al, 2021;Heidarimoghadam et al, 2020;Hijam et al, 2020;Lin et al, 2022;Mohammad Yusof et al, 2021;Rostami et al, 2022;So et al, 2019) while others either utilized the inclusion and exclusion criteria (Alghadir et al, 2021;Alipour et al, 2021;Antwi-Afari et al, 2021;Esmaeili et al, 2023;Kee, 2022;Kong et al, 2023;Motamedzadeh et al, 2021;Rahman et al, 2019;Ramdan & Candra, 2021;Susihono & Adiatmika, 2021;Susihono & Gede, 2020;Yang et al, 2021) or did not explicitly specify their sampling approach (Anshasi et al, 2022;Arunkumar et al, 2019;Darliana et al, 2020). Further analysis of the years of publication showed that a total of nine articles were published in 2021, which was the highest between 2018 to 2023.…”

“…Past studies showed that WRMSDs have been a prominent cause of discomfort and stages of pain among workers in various industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, medical centers, banks, and offices (Esmaeili et al, 2023). Some work tasks can highly affect the neck (Anshasi et al, 2022), shoulder (Gurnani et al, 2022, back (Wan-Nor-Asyikeen et al, 2022), upper extremities (Kong et al, 2023), and lower extremities (Sain & Meena, 2019) areas of the body, subsequently contributing to WRMSDs. The majority of previous review papers are focused on the job sector, specifically on the prevalence of issues and the proposed or implemented interventions.…”

Unlocking the potential of ergonomics in dentistry: current insights and future directions: A review

“…Additionally, ergonomic features such as adjustable heights or swivel mechanisms can improve accessibility and reduce strain. 15 Lighting: Ensure proper lighting in the operatory to facilitate accurate diagnosis and treatment. Adequate lighting reduces eye strain and enhances visibility of the oral cavity.…”