ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the
American Dental Association (ADA)
June 14, 2005)

1. Alliance Background

   Date Signed

   April 12, 2004

   Evaluation Period

   April 12, 2004 – April 11, 2005

   Overview

   Through the Alliance, OSHA and ADA are working together to use their collective expertise to help foster a culture of prevention while sharing technical knowledge in the area of ergonomics and promoting safe and healthful working conditions for dental employees.

   Implementation Team Members

   OSHA:

   Brett Besser

   Salt Lake City Technical Center (SLTC)

   Cathy Cronin

   Office of Training and Education (OTE)

   Kimberly Greenberg

   Office of Small Business Assistance (OSBA)

   Lee Anne Jillings

   Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA)

   Beth Sherfy

   OOSA

   ADA:

   Dr. Don Collins

   Ergonomics Activities

   Dr. Albert Guay

   Chief Policy Advisor

   Jerry Bowman

   Legal Division

   Tom Spangler

   Director, Legislative and Regulatory Policy

2. Implementation Team Meetings

   May 24, 2004

   Kick-off Implementation Team Meeting

   February 17, 2005

   Implementation Team Meeting

   In addition to these formal meetings, the Alliance coordinators from both groups maintained regular contact throughout the evaluation period to monitor the Alliance's progress and results.

3. Results
   1. Events and Products

      Outreach and Communication Goals

      • Disseminate information on safe and healthful working conditions for dental employees through speaking or exhibiting at conferences and other events, print and electronic media and links from OSHA's and ADA's Web sites.

      Products

      OSHA and ADA's Alliance Web page

      The OSHA and ADA Web page on OSHA's Web site is updated on a regular basis and includes links to the Alliance agreement and related documents, activities and events, and milestones and successes. For more information on the number of visits to the OSHA and ADA Alliance Web page, please see the Alliance Program Reach table.

      Print and Electronic Media

      Articles on the OSHA and ADA Alliance have appeared in a number of print and online publications, including: BNA Occupational Safety and Health Reporter; Occupational Health and Safety Online; Inside Health Policy; ADA's press releases; and OSHA's press releases, QuickTakes and Alliance Quarterly Review. For more information on the articles, please see the Alliance Program Reach table.

      • Assist OSHA in the development of electronic assistance tools that address workplace safety and health issues for dental employees.

        During this evaluation period, no products or activities have been developed to meet this Alliance goal.

      • Share new ergonomics information related to dental workers, once obtained and developed, with others in the industry.

      ADA Success Seminar Series

      Through the Alliance, the ADA added ergonomics information, including information on the OSHA and ADA Alliance and the Alliance Program, to the handouts and materials distributed to ADA members and other in the dental profession who attend the ADA's Success Seminar Series. The seminars focus on business topics related to dental practice management.

      • Work with other Alliance participants on ergonomic issues and projects that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.

        During this evaluation period, no products or activities have been developed to meet this Alliance goal.

      Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health Goals

      • Convene or participate in forums and round table discussions on ergonomic issues in the dental workplace. ADA will also help to make the case that healthy ergonomic practices are good business practices.

        During this evaluation period, no products or activities have been developed to meet this Alliance goal.

      • Explore ways that can be used for determining if ergonomics instruction is currently being included in dental schools' educational programs and encouraging the incorporation of sound and proven ergonomics techniques into the schools' curriculum.

      Dental School Ergonomic Curriculum

      The ADA worked with 58 dental schools, 280 hygiene programs and 260 dental assistance programs to assess the status of the schools existing ergonomics programs, number of hours of training provided and attitudes on the topic.

   2. Executive Summary

      During the first year of their Alliance, OSHA and ADA explored ways to use their collective expertise to help foster a culture of prevention while sharing technical knowledge in the area of ergonomics and promoting safe and healthful working conditions for dental employees.

      Information about the Alliance is available on the OSHA Web site with links to related documents, activities and events, and milestones and successes on the OSHA and ADA Alliance Web page. Both OSHA and the ADA issued news releases announcing the Alliance.

      The ADA added ergonomics information, including information on the OSHA and ADA Alliance and the Alliance Program, to the handouts and manuals that are given to ADA members and other in the dental profession who the ADA's Success Seminar Series. The series focuses on business topics related to dental practice management.

      A number of print and online publications featured articles on the OSHA and ADA Alliance, including: BNA Occupational Safety and Health Reporter; Occupational Health and Safety Online; Inside Health Policy; ADA's press releases; and OSHA's press releases, QuickTakes and Alliance Quarterly Review.

      The ADA worked with 58 dental schools, 280 hygiene programs and 260 dental assistance programs to assess the status of the schools existing ergonomics programs, the numbers hours of training students receive on the issues and general attitudes on the topics. As a result, the ADA will make recommendations to enhance ergonomics training at dental schools and other programs.

   3. Alliance Program Reach

      Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)	Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
      OSHA and ADA Alliance Webpage on the OSHA Web site	4,649
      April 13, 2004 – "American Dental Association Joins OSHA in Alliance," OSHA News Release	25 News Services
      April 13, 2004 – "ADA Inks Historic Agreement With OSHA Establishing Ergonomic Alliance," ADA News Release	Data Not Available
      April 14, 2004 – "New Alliance Targets Ergonomic Hazards in Dentistry," Occupational Health and Safety online	80,000
      April 15, 2004 – "OSHA Signs Alliance with Dental Association," BNA Occupational Health and Safety Reporter	Data Not Available
      May 3, 2004 – "OSHA, American Dental Association Form Alliance to Stem Ergo Injuries," insidehealthpolicy.com	Data Not Available
      TOTAL	84,649

4. Upcoming Milestones

   In the Alliance's second year, OSHA and the ADA will continue to identify avenues to publicize the Alliance Program, share technical knowledge in the area of ergonomics and promote safe and healthful working conditions for dental employees.

   On October 6, 2005, Lee Anne Jillings will make a presentation at the 146th ADA Annual Session in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She will be a member of an ergonomics panel with two ADA representatives. The members of the Alliance implementation team will also work to identify additional speaking and exhibiting opportunities.

   In addition, the OSHA and ADA Alliance implementation team will identify an ADA representative to serve on OSHA's Dentistry Safety and Health Topics page to help OSHA ensure that the page is complete and accurate. OSHA and the ADA will explore whether additional association members would like to serve on the editorial boards for other OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages.

   The OSHA and ADA Alliance implementation team will identify avenues to increase ergonomics awareness and training in dental schools, hygiene programs and dental assistance programs.

   Finally, the ADA will explore publishing articles on the Alliance and ergonomics in its publications, such as the association's electronic newsletter, the Dental Recap. Also, if OSHA hosts an Alliance Program Ergonomics Roundtable, the ADA will consider sending a representative to the meeting.

   Report prepared by: Elizabeth Sherfy, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, June 14, 2005.