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.