Measuring Noise Levels in Dental Clinics

Compared to other educational environment, the acoustic environment in the dental practical classes has been characterized by high dental noise levels. The presented study aims to quantify noise levels generated by the dental equipment under working settings throughout various dental clinics. A sound level meter with a microphone has been used for measuring the noise levels. The meter was positioned in the clinic at a 15cm distance from operator's ear, at the chair side instrument tray to increase noise levels that would reach a person standing close, and in the middle of the learning area. For stimulating the operator's auditory position in laboratories, a microphone was positioned 15cm from the technician's ear, and a second reading was acquired from a 2 m distance. When trimming acrylic, the acrylic trimmer (85.4 decibel (dB) at a 15cm distance) was the noisiest piece of equipment measured in this investigation. When drilling teeth in dental clinics, the turbine in the middle of the learning area made the most noise (79.1 dB). The dental equipment’s noise levels throughout cutting activities have been quite different from those during non-cutting activities. The study's noise levels were deemed to be somewhat close to the 85 dB threshold, which is the limit of hearing loss risk.