title: Acoustic Noise Levels of Dental Equipments and Its Association with Fear and Annoyance Levels among Patients Attending Different Dental Clinic Setups in Jaipur, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Noise is a source of pervasive occupational hazard for practicing dentists and the patients. The sources of dental sounds by various dental equipments can pose as a potential hazard to hearing system and add to the annoyance levels of the patients. The aim of the study was to analyze the noise levels from various equipments and evaluate the effect of acoustic noise stimulus on dental fear and annoyance levels among patients attending different dental clinic setups in Jaipur, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sampling frame comprised of 180 patients, which included 90 patients attending 10 different private clinics and 90 patients attending a Dental College in Jaipur. The levels of Acoustic Noise Stimulus originating from different equipments were determined using a precision sound level meter/decibulometer. Dental fear among patients was measured using Dental Fear Scale (DFS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistical analysis was performed using chi square test and unpaired t-test. The mean background noise levels were found to be maximum in the pre-clinical setup/ laboratory areas (69.23+2.20). Females and the patients attending dental college setup encountered more fear on seeing the drill as compared to the patients attending private clinics (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sources of dental sounds can pose as a potential hazard to hearing system. It was analyzed that the environment in the clinics can directly have an effect on the fear and annoyance levels of patients. Hence it is necessary control the noise from various dental equipments to reduce the fear of patients from visiting a dental clinic.
authors: Post Graduate, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Jaipur Dental College , Jaipur, Rajasthan, India .
authors: Asif
authors: A
authors: Yousuf
authors: Post Graduate, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Jaipur Dental College , Jaipur, Rajasthan, India .
authors: Shravani
authors: S
authors: Ganta
authors: Professor and Head, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Jaipur Dental College , Jaipur, Rajasthan, India .
authors: Anup
authors: A
authors: Nagaraj
authors: Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Government Dental College , Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.
authors: Sonia
authors: S
authors: Pareek
authors: Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, ESIC Dental College and Hospital , Rohini, Delhi, India .
authors: Mansi
authors: M
authors: Atri
authors: Post Graduate, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Jaipur Dental College , Jaipur, Rajasthan, India .
authors: Kushpal
authors: K
authors: Singh
authors: Registrar, Department of Pedodontics, Government Dental College , Srinagar- 190010, J & K, India .
authors: Mohsin
authors: M
authors: Sidiq
keywords: Fear; Noise; Noise induced hearing loss; Occupational; Sound