Workplace dental checkups fight absenteeism

Anisha Hall Hoppe, Dental Tribune International

Tue. 22. August 2023

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TOKYO, Japan: Oral disease contributes significantly to absenteeism globally, constituting between 9.06% and 26.7% of total illness-related absenteeism. The global indirect cost, such as productivity loss, of this was US$187.61 billion in 2015. A study in Japan looking into this found that absenteeism due to dental visits was notably lower for workers who received check-ups at their workplace or both at the workplace and dental clinic, compared with those who only received check-ups at a dental clinic.

In Japan, companies are required to facilitate annual health check-ups but dental examinations are optional. Some companies integrate dental check-ups with annual medical examinations, promoting early disease detection and oral health education. Providing dental check-ups during working hours potentially reduces absenteeism for the purpose of obtaining dental care. Regular check-ups outside workplaces might not always happen, increasing the chance of emergency dental visits and thus absenteeism.

The researchers aimed to determine the link between the site of dental check-ups and work absenteeism due to dental visits. This cross-sectional study involved an online survey conducted in March 2017 among 3,930 respondents (2,057 men and 1,873 women with an average age of 43.3 ± 11.7 years) representing all 11 occupational categories of the Japanese Standard Occupational Classification equally.

The primary metric was the number of days taken off due to dental visits in the past year, looking specifically at days taken off and coming to work late or leaving early. The core independent variable was the site of the dental check-ups in the past year: at a dental clinic, in the workplace, or both. Variables like age, sex, income, academic background, presence of chronic disease, industrial and occupational classifications, and working patterns were considered, as was self-reported oral health, number of teeth and gingival bleeding.

For workers who received dental check-ups at a dental clinic, the mean number of days of absenteeism due to dental visits was 0.57 ± 2.67 days. However, there were significantly fewer dental visit-related days of absence among workers who did not receive any dental check-ups (0.14 ± 1.18 days), had their dental check-ups at the workplace (0.21 ± 1.20 days), and received check-ups at both the dental clinic and the workplace (0.32 ± 1.29 days).

This reduction may be attributed to regular oral screenings and health education provided during workplace check-ups, functioning as a health promotion programme. The study highlights the importance of regular dental examinations in early detection and treatment of dental issues. In conclusion, workplace dental check-ups could potentially lead to decreased absenteeism due to dental visits among workers compared with check-ups at dental clinics.

The study, titled “Association between place of dental check-ups and work absenteeism among Japanese workers”, was published online on 5 June 2023 in the Journal of Occupational Health.