Date of Award
Spring 4-9-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Dentistry
First Advisor
Swati Rawal
Second Advisor
Ann Millard
Third Advisor
Arndt Guentsch
Fourth Advisor
Michele Sheehan
Abstract
Background: A study conducted in 2023 by the Occupational Therapy (OT) Department and Marquette University school of dentistry (MUsoD) demonstrated that many student participants scored below average on hand function testing, indicating a need for occupational therapy intervention. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of occupational therapy–led training for periodontics and registered dental hygienist faculty on the performance of dental students in the Introduction to Clinical Practice course (DEIN 7114). Methods: Faculty teaching in DEIN 7114 were recruited for this study. They participated in educational sessions led by occupational therapy faculty focusing on musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) related to the dental profession. Faculty also completed hand skills assessments. A survey assessing knowledge of MSDs was administered at the baseline prior to training and at the end of the study. The performance of students in 2024 was compared to 2023 to evaluate the effectiveness of faculty training. Results: Nine faculty members participated. Hand function testing showed that while the 25–29 age group met average normal values for the tip pinch test (Men: 18.3, Women: 11.9), older age groups fell below these norms. Similarly, Semmes-Weinstein testing indicated normal sensation (1.65–2.83) in younger participants, with a slight diminishing of sensation (3.22–3.61) observed as age increased. Survey results showed significant improvement in knowledge; initially, 60% of faculty lacked knowledge on proper OT referrals for students with MSDs, but 100% reported proficiency following the intervention. A two-sample t-test comparing DEIN 7114 clinical grades between 2023 and 2024 revealed a statistically significant difference (3.9 vs. 3.5, p = 0.05), suggesting that increased faculty awareness led to more rigorous ergonomic evaluation of students. Conclusion: Early inclusion of occupational therapy education and training appears to be an effective tool for early diagnosis and prevention of MSDs among dental students.