Analysis of Dental Professionals’ and Dental Students’ Care for their Skin

OBJECTIVES: To determine prevalence of undesirable, work-related skin lesions and their localizations in dental professionals and students, and to collect data about diagnostic procedures they undergo and skin care they take when these lesions occur. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Our research included 444 respondents (dentists, dental assistants, dental technicians, dental students) who filled out a questionnaire. They were asked to specify if they had observed any lesions on their skin and where; if they had undergone any treatments and in what way; if they had undergone any allergy tests; and if they had taken any protective measures. RESULTS: Of all the respondents that took part in the survey, 249 (56.1%) reported undesirable skin reactions commonly on their hands and fingers (96%). Before our survey, only 15% of them had seen a dermatologist, while 33% had undergone allergy tests (without a dermatologists’ clinical examination). Also, 45% of them sometimes used soaps for sensitive skin and the majority (61%) of them used protective hand creams 1-2 times per day. CONCLUSION: Although a large number of dental professionals and students have noticed work-related skin lesions, only some of them sought dermatologists’ professional help and most of them did not take care of their skin adequately when those lesions occurred. According to the results of this study, it is necessary to take additional preventive measures to increase dental professionals’ and students’ awareness of occupational dermatoses and adequate skin care.