I can't hear you

In 2015, the ADA Council on Dental Practice's Dental Wellness Advisory Committee, in conjunction with the ADA Health Policy Institute, conducted a survey to study the well-being of dentists. The survey covered a variety of factors including medical conditions, stress, job and life satisfaction, addictions, workplace safety, responsibilities at work and home and effect of health on work. Using the results, the ADA plans to design more effective educational programs.^1,2

Surveys were anonymously mailed to a random sample of 7475 professionally active licensed dentists, which included general practitioners and specialists and ADA members and non-members. Reminder postcards and follow-up mailings were also sent. A total of 2122 (28%) usable surveys were returned. The purpose of the survey was descriptive; however, some inferential statistical analysis was possible.²

One of the topics covered by the survey was the possible effect occupational noise had on hearing. About one in three (32%) dentists indicated having hearing problems (HP). Dentists ≥40 years old and male were more likely (41%) to report HP than other gender and age groups. Most dentists (61%) felt that their hearing had remained the same after first noticing problems, while 37% thought their hearing had worsened and 13% stated that their hearing had improved.