The University of Colorado recently highlighted an example of how education and health care worked together to help protect a dental student’s hearing. This dental student was interested in seeking out hearing health care after a ‘Lunch and Learn.’
At this educational session, Caylin McCallick, AuD, discussed the noise levels of dental handpieces and the potential impacts on hearing. Dr. McCallick recommended that the dental students get custom earplugs to protect their hearing. Unsure of where to go, this dental student sought out advise from her nurse practitioner, Emily Cheshire, DNP.
While this nurse practitioner was not previously aware of the information shared by Dr. McCallick about dental handpieces, but took this opportunity to seek out more material on this recommendation. The nurse practitioner ultimately referred this dental student to an audiologist for a hearing evaluation and fitting of custom earplugs.
Cheshire now routinely talks about this issue with her patients who are dental students.
Reference
Sherman D. (2021) “Say what?” Dental students learn high-pitched drills double the risk of hearing loss among dentists (accessed October 3, 2021).
Related Posts
The Utilization of Telehealth Services
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Academy of Audiology (2020) provided audiologists with guidance regarding the use of telehealth services. In October 2021, the Academy released a position statement titled The Use of Telehealth for the Delivery of Audiological Services. Members can access this statement here. While the COVID-19 pandemic may have expanded telehealth services,…
Postural Sway Observations in Children with ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects approximately five percent of the pediatric population. Up to 50 percent of children with ADHD also exhibit motor control and balance issues in addition to the more commonly seen symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention. Fidgeting, poor motor planning, increased postural sway, and difficulty sitting still may be related…
Deaths from Unintentional Falls in Older Adults
At the end of September 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data overviewing rates of death resulting from unintentional falls between the years of 1999–2020 by adults 65 years and older (Garnett et al, 2022). The report showed that death rates have increased, with the largest increase seen by those aged…