Introduction:

Dentistry is one of the professions that demands most from the musculoskeletal axis of the neck and upper trunk. Therefore, the inadequate postures learned during undergraduate training may be viewed as risk factors.

Objective:

Adapt and validate Danielle Wajngarten’s MAPETO-br questionnaire for dental students.

Methods:

A previous version of the MAPETO-br questionnaire was prepared in Spanish based on two separate translations of the original Portuguese version. The document was used to apply a pretest to two health professionals expert in ergonomics. A pilot test was then given to 112 fourth- and fifth-year dental students. Data were collected photographing the students' posture during dental care and via the survey. Internal consistency was measured and exploratory factor analysis was performed by principal component examination.

Results:

The final version was composed of 12 of the 14 items in the MAPETO-br questionnaire after validation of the content and adaptation to the Chilean cultural environment. Internal consistency for the 12 items had a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.796. It also exhibits high stability in time.

Conclusions:

Results show valid and reliable measurements in the MAPETO-cl Questionnaire for posture assessment, making it a fast method to be applied during work in sitting position, and helping identify the presence or absence of risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders.

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