Development and Validation of a Novel Questionnaire to Assess Auditory Function Quality in Dental Professionals Related to Occupational Health Risks

Background: – Dental professionals are routinely exposed to high-frequency clinical noise from rotary and ultrasonic instruments, placing them at risk of early auditory deterioration. However, no validated self-assessment instrument exists to identify perceived hearing difficulties in this occupational group. This study aimed to design and validate a novel questionnaire to assess auditory function quality in dental professionals exposed to clinical noise. Methods: – A questionnaire was created by experts in Dentistry and Otolaryngology and distributed online via Google Forms to dentists and dental hygienists across Italy. A total of 362 participants (age 33–75 years) completed the survey. Psychometric validation included internal consistency analysis, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), and assessment of associations between questionnaire factors and demographic variables. Results: – Initially composed of 12 items, the final validated version retained 10 yes/no items, categorized into three factors: F1 – Auditory difficulties (Cronbach’s Alpha=0.698), F2 – Clinical signs and symptoms (Alpha=0.545), and F3 – Risk exposure habits (Alpha=0.520). This structure proved appropriate for evaluating hearing quality in this population. A scoring system (1–10) was also developed to estimate hearing deterioration severity, with higher scores indicating worse hearing. While no significant correlation was found between age and auditory difficulties (F1), women reported more hearing-related issues than men. Conclusion: – A brief, reliable, and clinically useful self-assessment tool was developed and validated for early screening of auditory deterioration among dental professionals. Its simplicity supports implementation in occupational health programs.