Ergonomic Consideration of Sight Shifts between the Microscopic and Macroscopic Environments in Microscopic Dentistry for Inexperienced Operators

Due to the rising popularity of Dental Operating Microscopes, the issue of their ergonomic use has become an important topic. To verify its impact on dental teams’ ergonomics, the aspect of working in two distinct environments was examined. The research was performed on a group of 82 dentists regarding the number and character of shifts from the microscopic environment to the macroscopic one. The results revealed the shifts constitute a significant part of an inexperienced DOM operator’s work. Because such shifts, when performed repeatedly and in short succession, may influence the operator’s vision and comfort, they should be considered ergonomically detrimental. Having indicated the problem, the article puts forth a solution in the form of an instrument transfer methodology. The proposed adjustment has the potential of improving the quality of work for DOM operators quickly and efficiently by significantly reducing the number of shifts between the environments.