Studies
Sharpness Matters: Surveying Hygienists’ Instrument Use and Challenges
The dental hygiene community depends on manual and power instruments to provide effective, safe, and comfortable care. To help better understand how hygienists are using instruments, what their struggles are, and how they choose which instruments to use, RDH magazine recently conducted a survey on instrument sharpening and ergonomics.
Key Findings
When asked about main struggles with hand instrumentation, the most frequently reported was “finding time to sharpen.” When our respondents shopped for instruments, handle width and sharpness were essentially tied for first place (75% and 73%, respectively).
We also asked respondents if they were using instruments past their functional use. Just over half (55%) responded that they were, and 10% said they weren’t sure. Using dull or aged instruments requires more force on the part of the clinician, increasing the risk of occupational injury, and decreasing patient comfort. Dull instruments also lead to burnished calculus.
Challenges and Solutions
Considering that no one wants to use a dull instrument, why is this happening? Unsurprisingly, money is often at the root of the issue. When asked why they were using old instruments, 23% said their employer wouldn’t provide new ones, and 21% reported that the annual instrument budget had been spent.
But in a sense, being “time poor” was also a big issue—32% of respondents said they hadn’t gotten around to ordering new instruments. A few respondents also answered that they were too shy to ask for new instruments, or that they were waiting to place a retipping order, or that they were trying to find a way to recycle them.
Conclusion
RDH magazine’s survey on instrument sharpening and ergonomics illuminates critical instrumentation challenges within the dental hygiene community. The struggle to maintain instrument sharpness emerged as a prominent issue, underscoring the need for streamlined maintenance processes. Hygienists earlier in their careers should especially consider continuing education or peer support to increase their confidence in scaling technique and correct ergonomics. Stay sharp, hygienists!
