Musculoskeletal Disorders in Dentists: A Practical Review and Self-Management Framework

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Dentists work under sustained visual and manual demands that commonly require cervical flexion, forward trunk inclination, repetitive upper-limb activity and prolonged static sitting or standing. These exposures are associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), particularly in the neck, back, shoulders and wrist-hand region. This review summarizes the burden, clinical pattern,and occupational drivers of MSDs in dentists and proposes a structured, evidence-informed self-management framework. METHODS: A structured narrative review was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE and citation tracking, with priority given to systematic reviews, meta-analyses, scoping reviews, randomized trials and key observational studies. Studies were eligible if they addressed the prevalence, anatomical distribution, occupational drivers, ergonomics, prevention, or conservative management of MSDs relevant to dental practice. RESULTS: Dental-specific evidence consistently showed a high burden of MSDs in dentists. A meta-analysis reported a pooled overall MSD prevalence of 78.4%, while pooled regional prevalence estimates in Western dental professionals were 58.5% for the neck, 56.4% for the lower back, 43.1% for the shoulder, and 41.1% for the upper back. Carpal tunnel syndrome was also clinically relevant, with pooled prevalence estimates ranging from 9.87% in dentists to 15% in broader dental health care personnel. Dental-specific intervention evidence most strongly supported ergonomic optimisation, visual magnification and workplace ergonomic modification. Direct evidence for dentist-specific exercise-based protocols remained limited, whereas broader rehabilitation literature supported exercise-based care for chronic spinal pain and adjunctive conservative approaches for selected mild wrist-hand symptoms. Lower-limb and pedal-related complaints appeared plausible but under-investigated. CONCLUSION: Dentists represent a high-risk occupational group for MSDs. A structured, evidence-informed framework that prioritises ergonomic optimisation and adds feasible self-management strategies may assist prevention and early symptom management in routine dental practice. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The proposed framework organises current evidence into a practical and low-cost model that may be implemented in routine dental settings without specialised equipment.