Supporting the Musculoskeletal Health of a New Generation of Dental Hygienists

This past July, Jessica Suedbeck, RDH, BSDH, MS, received the Standout Seven Award–Researcher from the American Dental Hygienists’ Association. She is an assistant professor and the senior clinic coordinator at the Gene W. Hirschfeld School of Dental Hygiene, Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, with a passion for research, particularly on the subject of ergonomics. Currently, Suedbeck is completing a doctoral program in kinesiology and rehabilitation science.

Her research focuses on workplace safety for the dental hygienist, which encompasses occupational hazards including ergonomic practices, hearing loss, and mental health hazards such as burnout and implicit bias. She has received funding for research both intramurally and extramurally as well as presented at national and international conferences. Suedbeck is also a member of Dimensions of Dental Hygiene’s Peer Review Panel and a frequent contributor.

She tells Sunstar Ebrief about her path into the profession of dental hygiene and how her passion for ergonomics was ignited.

• What was your path to becoming a dental hygienist?

When I was younger, I had over-retained primary teeth where the roots would not resorb naturally — so I visited the dentist often for several extractions. I had a mixture of pleasant and unpleasant experiences that fueled an interest in becoming part of dentistry and being part of the pleasant side. This childhood dream continued to grow through my adolescent and young adult years where I then learned the power of prevention and its critical role in oral and overall health. I knew I wanted to be on the oral health prevention specialist side of dentistry and dental hygiene school was the path for me. I’ve never looked back!

• What sparked your interest in ergonomics and workplace safety for dental hygienists?

The passion for this came a little later in life. While I believe it started in my Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene program with faculty who focused on ergonomics and promoted healthy behaviors to enhance our career, it truly took off in my master’s degree studies. While working on this degree, I dove into the literature on musculoskeletal disorder prevalence in dental professionals and became passionate about identifying risks and potential interventions for dental hygienists. With fantastic mentorship, I completed a thesis project related to instrument handle design and muscle activity production and found clinically relevant results that enhanced my passion even further. I learned research can truly make a difference for our profession and increase career longevity. Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention my current studies toward a Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences. My early passion for ergonomics and workplace safety for dental hygienists led me to pursue this degree completely outside of my comfort zone; my studies have truly opened my eyes to the possibilities of research and true change for our profession. I am excited to see where this journey continues to take me and the possible interventions we identify for dental hygienists and their health.

• What do you think is the most important thing dental hygienists can do to protect their musculoskeletal health?

Invest in yourself and be an advocate for the necessary equipment you need to preserve your health. We are continuously identifying strategies to promote musculoskeletal health in dental hygienists, and though the cost of some equipment may be a deterrent, the investment will add years to your career by reducing risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). I cannot express enough how important it is to have good instruments — sharp instruments with large diameter, lightweight handles, and textured grips to reduce pinch force. When an instrument has reached the end of its lifespan, advocate for new instruments to protect your health. Finally, try to introduce variety into your day as repetition is one of the biggest risk factors for injury and MSDs. Advocate for your day-to-day operations to include all of these concepts to reduce your MSD risk and have a long, healthy career!

• What are your plans once you complete your doctoral degree?

My studies in my PhD program have helped me grow significantly as a researcher and I plan to utilize those skills to further advance our profession and identify meaningful changes to promote musculoskeletal health. My passion has continued to grow over the years regarding ergonomics and workplace safety and I hope to see significant changes for the practice of clinical hygiene that promote not only the physical health aspects of the profession, but mental health. Dental hygienists are the oral health prevention specialists leading the way to better oral and overall health for our patients, and we deserve to be healthy in our careers as well.