Businesses are asked to comply by October 2001, including dental professionals. Three quarters of general industry employers, however, will not need to do anything until a documented, work-related injury actually occurs.
Some controversy exists over the cost of implementing the new standards.
The Academy of General Dentistry testified that formal ergonomics programs are unnecessary in dental practices because government data show that musculoskeletal discomfort is not a problem in dental offices. This is an incident rate of one half of one percent. Clearly this isn't an epidemic, and even this figure is suspect. A general dentist is the primary care provider for patients of all ages and is responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, management and overall coordination of services related to patient's oral health needs. 211 East Chicago Ave.