Association of personal listening device usage with hearing loss and academic performance among dental undergraduate students

Introduction: Portable listening devices (PLDs) have transformed audio exposure among youth. Prolonged/high-volume PLD use may contribute to hearing impairment and affect academic performance. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 108 dental undergraduates (age 18–27). Questionnaire assessed PLD usage and academics; five non-invasive audiological tests were performed. Associations analysed using Kendall’s Tau-b and eta coefficients. Results: 29.6% reported regular exposure at 100–120 dB. Over 20% reported hearing issues. Moderate associations (η = 0.23–0.33) were found between years of PLD use and PTA, immittance, high-frequency tests and academic percentiles; OAE showed a stronger association (η = 0.44). Higher frequency of use associated with lower academic percentiles. Conclusions: There is a weak-to-moderate link between PLD use and hearing loss; long-term/frequent use may negatively impact hearing and academic performance in dental undergraduates.