Occupational Hazard of Night Shift on Medical and Dental Employee

Abstract

Night shift and rotating schedules are increasingly integral to 24-hour healthcare delivery, placing medical and dental employees at risk of circadian disruption and chronic sleep disturbance. Growing evidence links night work to adverse occupational health outcomes, including persistent fatigue, depression, and social disruption, alongside higher rates of cardiometabolic and gastrointestinal morbidity. Concerns have also intensified regarding cancer, particularly breast cancer, and shift work involving circadian disruption has been classified as probably carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) . This review synthesizes current epidemiological and mechanistic evidence on night shift work as an occupational hazard in medical and dental settings, incorporating key outcomes such as breast cancer risk, psychosocial wellbeing, and hearing-related occupational concerns relevant to dental practice, as well as downstream effects on body weight regulation. By integrating available findings, the review aims to inform preventive occupational health strategies and workplace policies that protect healthcare workers while sustaining essential 24-hour services