Objectives: To estimate the self-reported prevalence of hand dermatoses and irritation to the eyes, nose and airway among New Zealand dentists.
Materials and methods: A cross-sectional survey used a postal questionnaire sent to all practising dentists on the New Zealand Dental Register.
Results: The response rate was 81.3 percent. Over 40 percent of dentists had experienced symptoms at some stage during their practising life, and one-third reported experience of symptoms during the previous 12 months. Prevalence was higher among females, more recent graduates, and those suffering from hay fever, asthma or any other allergic condition. One-third of sufferers had consulted a medical practitioner about the problem. Multivariate modelling showed that females had twice the odds of experiencing symptoms at some time during their practising life (after controlling for time since graduation, allergies and hay fever, lifelong wearing of gloves, and hobbies involving exposure to solvents). Those who reported hobbies involving solvents were over 11 times as likely to report having experienced symptoms at some time during their practising life.
Conclusions: A substantial proportion of the dental practice workforce in New Zealand is at risk for occupational dermatoses. Reducing exposure to potential allergens and irritants is the key to minimising that risk.