title: A prospective survey of percutaneous injuries in orthodontists.
abstract: This national survey provides documentation regarding typical orthodontic practice patterns in the United States, including the prevalence of percutaneous injuries. The sample reflects a similar geographic distribution of the population as a whole, with more practitioners located in areas with higher populations. Most practitioners in this sample were in solo full-time practice, averaging 35 hours per week, and treating patients for 47 weeks per year. A 20-day prospective period was used to collect data regarding exposure to percutaneous injuries. The study identified a mean percutaneous injury rate of 0.085 during a 20-day period for practicing orthodontists, a value that can be extrapolated to slightly less than one (0.99) percutaneous injury per orthodontist per year. The majority of these injuries (84%) occurred outside the mouth. This rate is approximately one third the rate reported for dentists in general practice.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bagramian
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: McNamara
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000571:American Dental Association; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003762:Dental Instruments / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003815:Dentists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005151:Facial Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005792:General Practice, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009970:Orthodontics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011331:Private Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D016526:Workload / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology