Welcome to the Wash U Dental Noise Attenuation Project (WUDNA)
Background
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that over 22 million
workers in the United States are exposed to potentially detrimental noise levels on the job each
year, and an estimated $242 million is spent annually on workers’ compensation for hearing loss
disabilities. Among these susceptible workers are dental professionals who must work with noisy
high-speed dental handpieces such as dental drills to perform common procedures.
Dental noise has yet to receive focused attention because the high-frequency noise level
lies very close to the acceptable continual exposure threshold of 85 dB set by OSHA. However,
this problem has been echoed firsthand by dentists ranging from recent dental school graduates
to retiring professionals, with studies showing that approximately 20% of dentists suffer from
auditory disorders. The client, Dr. Scott Nolen, began wearing hearing aids after twenty years in
practice, but another dentist, Dr. Jonathan Afshari, indicated that he has already begun to see the
effects on his hearing after just three years. Even when hearing deficits are not observed, many
dental professionals have tinnitus resulting from dental noise. Studies have identified high-
frequency dental hand pieces as a primary cause of hearing loss in dental professionals. Hearing
loss is especially significant between the frequencies of 3-6 kHz, which aligns with the frequency
of commonly used high-frequency dental hand pieces.
In addition to causing long-term hearing deficits in dental professionals, high-frequency
drill noise is also a source of anxiety for patients undergoing dental procedures. Studies have
shown that dental anxiety affects approximately 30% of adults and 45% of children. The
anticipation of pain is the driving factor behind dental anxiety, which is facilitated by the sound of
the dental equipment. In addition to making trips to the dentist’s office unpleasant, dental anxiety
also decreases the number of people who seek dental care. A recent survey found that only
approximately 65% of American adults visit the dentist each year. As such, dental anxiety is one
factor that is negatively impacting public health in the United States.
workers in the United States are exposed to potentially detrimental noise levels on the job each
year, and an estimated $242 million is spent annually on workers’ compensation for hearing loss
disabilities. Among these susceptible workers are dental professionals who must work with noisy
high-speed dental handpieces such as dental drills to perform common procedures.
Dental noise has yet to receive focused attention because the high-frequency noise level
lies very close to the acceptable continual exposure threshold of 85 dB set by OSHA. However,
this problem has been echoed firsthand by dentists ranging from recent dental school graduates
to retiring professionals, with studies showing that approximately 20% of dentists suffer from
auditory disorders. The client, Dr. Scott Nolen, began wearing hearing aids after twenty years in
practice, but another dentist, Dr. Jonathan Afshari, indicated that he has already begun to see the
effects on his hearing after just three years. Even when hearing deficits are not observed, many
dental professionals have tinnitus resulting from dental noise. Studies have identified high-
frequency dental hand pieces as a primary cause of hearing loss in dental professionals. Hearing
loss is especially significant between the frequencies of 3-6 kHz, which aligns with the frequency
of commonly used high-frequency dental hand pieces.
In addition to causing long-term hearing deficits in dental professionals, high-frequency
drill noise is also a source of anxiety for patients undergoing dental procedures. Studies have
shown that dental anxiety affects approximately 30% of adults and 45% of children. The
anticipation of pain is the driving factor behind dental anxiety, which is facilitated by the sound of
the dental equipment. In addition to making trips to the dentist’s office unpleasant, dental anxiety
also decreases the number of people who seek dental care. A recent survey found that only
approximately 65% of American adults visit the dentist each year. As such, dental anxiety is one
factor that is negatively impacting public health in the United States.