The aim of this study was to examine musculoskeletal disorders among dental hygienists in

relation to work postures (sitting, standing, and altering) and to study differences in the

groups regarding numbers of disorders, locations and degrees. A mail questionnaire was

distributed among 200 dental hygienists in the region of Skåne. The response rate was 79 %.

The majority of the dental hygienists were working in a sitting position. Only

43 dental hygienists were altering their working position and two were working in a standing

position. The results showed that 85 % of the dental hygienists have experienced

musculoskeletal disorders in the last 12 months. Seven different complaint areas were

described and multiple complaints from two-three areas were most common. Numbers and

locations of disorders were similar between the sitting and altering groups. Most of the dental

hygienist has a low degree of pain but the numbers of dental hygienists in per cent with severe

pain is most common in the sitting group. No significant differences can bee seen but the

tendency in per cent shows that the dental hygienists in the altering group has less number of

disorders and in a lower degree than the dental hygienists in the sitting group.