Working Context in Dental Business and Healthof Private Dentists

Abstract

This qualitative research aims to study the illness of private dentist and the causes of their illness related to the work in private sector context. The research utilized Neo – Marxist and Globalization perspectives in analyzing data and used in-depth interview and nonparticipatory observation. This research collected data from 15 private dentists who are in between 35-60 years old who have underlying health problems and work in private dental offices of central business district (CBD) in Bangkok metropolitan area and perimeter area such as Nonthaburi and Prathumthani provinces. The result shows that private dentists have skeleton and muscle problems with pain on neck, shoulder, and fingers as well as gastric ulcer, allergy, visual disorders, obesity and stress. These symptoms cause by long duration of daily work due to numbers of patients walking-in and additional assigned jobs. The hard work results from the focus on profit of business private sector and live style in information and communication technological (ICT) society. This research suggests that safety and health security for dentists should initiate by private sector in setting the working system to improve employee’s health. In universities, there should be lesson on ergonomics posture of dental students.