Effects of Yoga on Musculoskeletal Pain.

Purpose: Musculoskeletal pain has been associated with work stress and a shortened career in the dental hygiene profession. The purpose of this study was to determine if participating in two yoga sessions per week would reduce the musculoskeletal pain reported by dental hygiene students and or impact body composition.Methods: A convenience sample of 77 dental hygiene students self-selected into treatment (yoga) and control groups. Students in the yoga group participated in bi-weekly, 60-minute yoga sessions for 13 consecutive weeks. Students completed a questionnaire and a Comparative Pain Scale evaluation prior to and immediately following the study period to assess musculoskeletal pain. Additionally, the Omron HBF-514C Full Body Composition Sensing Monitor and Scale was used to measure body mass index (BMI), body fat, and muscle prior to and upon completion of the study. Paired sample t-tests and independent t-tests were used to analyze the data.Results: Thirty-eight dental hygiene students, with an average age of 23.9 years, participated in the yoga group and 39 were assigned to the control group. The majority of the participants were Caucasian (63.6%) females (90.9%). Participants in both groups were of similar age, ethnicity, and had comparable pre-study Harich Comparative Pain Scale scores. After participating in the yoga sessions, the treatment group reported a significant decrease in musculoskeletal pain (p<0.001), while the control group reported no significant decrease in musculoskeletal pain (p=0.881). The yoga sessions did not significantly impact the BMI scores for the yoga treatment group (p=.984) or the control group (p=.901).Conclusion: This research supports the practice of bi-weekly yoga sessions as beneficial in decreasing musculoskeletal pain in dental hygiene students. Yoga can be considered a viable complementary health approach to incorporate into student schedules as a means of increasing the health and longevity of a dental hygiene career.

Millennial Dental Hygiene Students' Learning Preferences Compared to Non-Millennial Faculty Members' Teaching Methods: A National Study.

The aim of this study was to compare the learning preferences of millennial dental hygiene students (born between 1982 and 2002) in the U.S. with the teaching methods used by their non-millennial instructors. Cross-sectional surveys were developed with 21-item, five-point Likert scales to examine students' preferences for and faculty use of lecture, collaborative activities, technology, independent work, and group discussion. Surveys were emailed to U.S. dental hygiene program directors in September 2015. The respondents totaled 800 students and 343 faculty members-approximately 5% of all dental hygiene students and 6.8% of all dental hygiene faculty members in the U.S. The results showed that the responding faculty members (88.7%) used case studies more than the students (61.2%) preferred and that the students (71.4%) preferred games when learning more than the faculty members (57.2%) used them (p<0.0001). Student respondents (82.1%) preferred handouts for lecture more than did the faculty respondents (58.8%; p<0.0001). Faculty respondents expected students to read before class 39.3% more than student respondents read (p<0.0001). Student respondents preferred study guides for exams 39.2% more than the faculty respondents provided them (p<0.0001). Participating faculty members (84.0%) had students work in groups more than these students preferred (57.8%), and 92% of these faculty members used group activities in class (p<0.0001). The responses of the millennial dental hygiene students in this study were consistent with previous research on millennial traits. This study found areas of disagreement between students and faculty members on the use of case studies, study guides, and group work. Although these students stated they preferred lecture over group work, trends in education stress using active learning over lecture.

Use of complementary and alternative medicine for work-related pain correlates with career satisfaction among dental hygienists.

PURPOSE: Chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMSP) is associated with work stress and burn-out among registered dental hygienists, with prevalence estimates ranging between 64 to 93%. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies can be helpful in managing CMSP. The purpose of this study was to determine if dental hygienists who use CAM have greater career satisfaction compared to conventional therapy (CT) users. METHODS: ADHA members (n=2,431) in North Carolina (n=573) and California (n=1,858) were surveyed. Data were analyzed using univariate and bivariate analyses and logistic regression. RESULTS: A response rate of 25.3% (n=617) was obtained, revealing that 76.5% (n=472) suffered from CMSP. The use of CAM or CT was reported among 80.7% (n=381) of dental hygienists with CMSP. CAM users reported greater overall health (79.3% vs. 54.0%, p<0.001), career satisfaction (59.2% vs. 39.0%, p<0.001) and were able to work the hours they wanted (69.8% vs. 64.0%, p<0.001) compared to CT users. Of those with CMSP, 36.4% (n=172) considered a career change and 13.0% (n=59) reported having left dental hygiene. Those with CMSP were less likely to recall that ergonomics were taught or reinforced during clinical training. CONCLUSION: CAM therapies may improve quality of life, reduce work disruptions and enhance career satisfaction for dental hygienists who suffer from CMSP. Ergonomics education may help reduce the number of hygienists who suffer from CMSP. Increased student awareness of CMSP risk is needed to reduce CMSP in the future by enhancing ergonomics education and incorporating CAM, such as yoga stretches, into the classroom and clinic routine.