Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Occupational Ultrasonic Noise Exposure On Hearing In Dental Hygienists: A Pilot Study, Jennifer S. Dunning

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this case-control study was to determine whether long-term ultrasonic noise exposure via the dental office environment is related to dental hygienists' hearing status. Registered dental hygienists (N = 698) who live in the Hampton Roads area were mailed a Dental Hygiene Work History Questionnaireto determine those meeting the inclusion criteria and willing to participate in the study. Consenting subjects were categorized into one of two groups according to ultrasonic scaler usage rate and matched on age. Persons with known hearing loss due to infection, disease, or congenital defect were excluded from the study. The final sample …