AND AIMS: Although noise exposure levels in the dental professional sector may be considered low when compared to other occupations, noise prevention strategies, especially for the students, are necessary to conserve hearing for this population group. The current scoping review aimed to ascertain the risks and awareness of NIHL among dental students globally.
No change to audiology clinical practice; however, audiologists working in occupational health may consider outreach or hearing conservation programmes targeted at dental professionals and students.
Dental professionals are an underrecognised occupational group at risk for NIHL, and evidence of low awareness in training highlights a gap that audiologists and hearing conservation specialists could help address.
- 01Dental students face occupational noise exposure from drills and equipment that can exceed safe levels.
- 02Scoping review found low awareness of NIHL risks among dental students.
- 03Noise prevention and hearing conservation strategies are underemphasised in dental education curricula.
- 04Audiologists in occupational health settings could play a role in dental sector hearing conservation.
- 05Review highlights a broader gap in NIHL education across non-traditional occupational groups.
Dental students are exposed to occupational noise levels that pose a risk of noise-induced hearing loss.
studypartially supportedNoise prevention strategies in the dental sector remain underemphasised despite known risks.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42338658
- DOI
- 10.1002/hsr2.72701.
- Journal
- Health Science Reports
- Publication type
- review
- Evidence level
- 2a
- Population
- Dental students across included studies
- Intervention
- Assessment of NIHL risk exposure and awareness levels in dental students
Primary outcomes
Prevalence and level of NIHL risk among dental students; Awareness of noise-induced hearing loss risks; Availability of noise prevention strategies in dental education