Why are stretch, strength and yoga classes not part of a dental school curriculum? And why do most schools have outdated or ineffective stools, despite rising tuition and the fact that dentists sit for the majority of their career? It is so important to develop good habits early on in your career in order to prevent strain and injury later.

While excellent care is being provided to patients, dental students are neglecting their own bodies. It is mindboggling that more than 3,000 hours are required to fulfill dental school requirements, yet little time, is spent on spinal health and injury prevention. With less than 10 minutes per day, you can complete effective exercises that can help prevent neck, shoulder and spinal trouble. Is your valuable time worth it? Absolutely! If you exercise on a daily basis your body will take care of itself so you can, in turn, take care of your patients. More importantly, you can avert potential disabilities, which are always much more difficult to manage.

The following exercises can be done chairside, before seating a patient, while working and even while sitting at a computer.

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DentalTown.com • Ergonomics Feature • By Juli Kagan, RDH, MEd