Monitoring Occupational Dental Stress Using Apple Watch

Inclusion criteria

• Students (primary subjects) inclusion criteria: After IRB approval, non-supervisory staff or research team members will invite potential participants via UIC email/listservs. Interested students will be screened confirming: (a) good academic standing and current clinical assignment, (b) routine provision of care to both special-needs and non-special needs patients during the data-collection window, (c) willingness to wear an Apple Watch during sessions and complete baseline/end PSQ, and (d) absence of medical/dermatologic conditions that would preclude safe/accurate wrist-worn monitoring. Screening and consent occur privately and outside evaluative contexts.
• Patient (secondary subjects) Inclusion criteria: Patients will be screened at the point of care when already scheduled with a participating student. A pre-visit check confirms capacity to consent (or availability of a legally authorized representative/parent/guardian). For minors and/or special needs patients, LAR permission will be obtained in addition to assent to the research. The following criteria will be considered:
• Minors and/or Special-needs patients who are scheduled for standard clinical care with a participating student during the study period may be enrolled as secondary subjects provided that their parent/guardian or legally authorized representative (LAR) grants permission during the consent process and the patient assents to the research when appropriate.
• Adult Patients with capacity who are scheduled for standard clinical care with a participating student during the study period may be enrolled as secondary subjects provided that are willing to provide informed consent.
• Willing to allow an observer and collection of minimal visit-level variables (behavior/cooperation score, sedation status, broad procedure category).
• Patients and/or their parent(s), guardian(s), or legally authorized representative(s) providing consent must be able to understand and communicate in English.

Exclusion criteria

• Students (primary subjects) Exclusion criteria:
• Not assigned to patient-care rotations during the study window.
• Known dermatologic, cardiovascular, neurologic, or other medical conditions that would interfere with safe or accurate HR monitoring or tolerability of a wrist device.
• Unwilling or unable to provide consent or follow procedures.
• Patients (secondary subjects) Exclusion criteria:
• Declines consent/permission/assent or withdraws at any time.
• Prisoners or individuals under custodial supervision.
• Pregnant women