Ergonomics training for the dental team

Sirona Dental Systems and Halas Dental provided a value-added benefit to their customers in February on healthy posture ergonomic work practices. Tina Malmgren, a consultant to Sirona Dental Systems, conducted the workshop sessions to help Sirona’s Australian customers gain the most value from their equipment investment.

The aim of this workshop training was to help the dental team develop practical and ergonomic systems around the treatment centre. The primary focus was on developing and maintaining an ergonomically correct posture while performing a range of clinical procedures. The four-handed working concept is of great importance in this focus.

Sirona offered the hands-on introduction to ergonomics to dentists and their chairside assistants to improve workplace efficiency whilst reducing fatigue. Tina was able to visit Sirona customers’ practices and Halas showrooms in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide on her short stay in Australia. She also ran a training session for the Dental Hygienists’ Association of Australia, Inc. NSW Branch at the Halas Dental showroom in Sydney.

Feedback from all participants was very positive, with most expressing they learned some key concepts from attending the presentations. Moreover, a consensus emerged that there is a distinct lack of “quality” information and practical training available on ergonomics.

Tina is an experienced practising dental hygienist and chairside assistant from Copenhagen, Denmark, with vast experience in conducting numerous ergonomic training courses in Europe, Scandinavia and Japan. She teaches the principles of workplace ergonomics to undergraduate dental students as a visiting trainer in dental ergonomics at the Royal Dental College, Aarhus, Denmark. Her zest towards working postures, both individual and of the dental team, is heightened in her ability to speak fluent Japanese, English, French, German and Danish.