2025 NHCA Annual Conference: Full Schedule

We are excited to have you join us for an amazing educational line up, check out the agenda below for the 2025 Conference. Please note that this agenda is subject to change.

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7:00am EST

Breakfast

Friday February 7, 2025 7:00am - 8:00am EST

Crystal CDEF

Friday February 7, 2025 7:00am - 8:00am EST
Crystal CDEF

Networking & Meals

7:00am EST

Exhibit Hall

Friday February 7, 2025 7:00am - 5:30pm EST

Crystal Foyer

Friday February 7, 2025 7:00am - 5:30pm EST
Crystal Foyer

Networking & Meals

7:00am EST

Registration

Friday February 7, 2025 7:00am - 5:30pm EST

Crystal Foyer

Friday February 7, 2025 7:00am - 5:30pm EST
Crystal Foyer

Registration

8:00am EST

General Session: Opening Remarks

Friday February 7, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am EST

Crystal CDEF

Speakers

Liz Materson

Friday February 7, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

8:15am EST

Keynote Speaker: What Will it take to Make America a Quieter Place?

Friday February 7, 2025 8:15am - 8:45am EST

Crystal CDEF

Exposures to noise – that is, unwanted or harmful sound – have long been linked in workplace and (community!) settings to a host of adverse health effects, including noise-induced hearing loss (surprise, amirite?), cardiovascular disease (including hypertension and ischemic heart disease), and injuries. Yet millions of Americans remain unaware of the dangers of noise and occupational and environmental policies continually under-recognize noise as an important pollutant. On this auspicious 49th NHCA conference, what do we *really* know about noise exposures in American workplaces and communities, and how much harm those exposures are causing? This talk will provide an overview of trends and patterns in workplace and community noise in the US, discuss estimates of health risks associated with noise, and address health disparities and occupational and environmental justice issues. It will also highlight gaps in our understanding, opportunities for research that will help us better understand the impacts of noise, and potential paths forward for reducing noise in America.

Learning Objectives:
1. Listeners will be able to describe the patterns and trends of noise exposures in US workplaces and communities
2. Listeners will be able to explain disparities in occupational and environmental noise exposures, as well as the concepts of environmental justice and occupational justice.
3. Listeners will be able to outline opportunities for future research on noise exposures, as well as pathways to reduction of noise in the US.

Speakers

Rick Neitzel

Financial Disclosures: Grants at AppleNon-Financial Disclosures: None

Friday February 7, 2025 8:15am - 8:45am EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

8:45am EST

The Development of the Audiometric Research Tool for the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:05am EST

Crystal CDEF

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is a program of studies designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States. The examination component of NHANES typically includes a hearing threshold evaluation. Large datasets such as NHANES provide essential information on hearing in various populations as well as an opportunity to examine methodological aspects of audiometry. However, conventional audiometers provide limited stimulus, calibration, test protocol, and data options for researchers. An audiometric system designed to overcome these limitations built on commercially available hardware will be discussed in this presentation. The current system includes automated, semi-automated, and manual threshold-finding procedures; in-situ and fully automated calibration; full control of stimulus and test protocol parameters; comprehensive time and presentation histories; and continuous comparison of stimulus presentation levels against both ambient noise limits and presentation level for boothless applications. The system was developed in 2011 for NIOSH-sponsored projects and has been used in NHANES since 2017. Technical challenges, methodological issues, and performance metrics of the system will be presented. Examples of scientific findings which the system made possible will be discussed. Tools like this have the potential to help transform hearing testing in the future.

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify at least three limitations of conventional audiometer.
2. Explain at least three solutions addressing these challenges
3. Describe at least one example of using data from the Audiometric Research Tool to address methodological issues in audiometer
4. Contrast the need for research audiometers vs clinical audiometers

Speakers

Jeff Schmitt PE

Financial Disclosures: Salary/Ownership/Employment at ViacousticsNon-Financial Disclosures: None

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:05am EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

9:05am EST

Gaps in the Public Health Prevention of Hearing Loss in the US: findings from the Apple Hearing Study, 2019-2022

Friday February 7, 2025 9:05am - 9:25am EST

Crystal CDEF

Gaps in the public health prevention of hearing loss likely exist in the US, but these have not been wholistically characterized previously. Using data on personal environmental noise exposure and hearing-related surveys from >100,000 participants consented and enrolled in the Apple Hearing Study from 2019-2022, we used multilevel regression and poststratification models to estimate the population at risk of noise-induced hearing loss (primary prevention), the prevalence of poor/fair hearing ability and diagnosed hearing loss (secondary prevention), and the use of hearing aid/cochlear implants (tertiary prevention). Modeling estimates suggest that 88 million US adults (95% confidence interval: 81-95) are consistently exposed to noise levels high enough to cause hearing loss. Around 67 million (62-72) perceive a poor/fair ability to hear, of which only roughly half have been diagnosed with a hearing loss (36 million [32-40]). Nearly 16.5 million (16-17) of those diagnosed with a hearing loss are estimated to not be using hearing aids or cochlear implants. Regulation of noise (e.g., work- and transportation-related), audiological testing, especially of younger adults, and expanded access to hearing assistive devices are needed to reduce the considerable gaps in hearing-related public health.

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify the magnitude of gaps in the primary, secondary, and tertiary public health prevention of hearing loss among US adults.
2. Analyze which geographic areas and demographic subgroups may experience a wider burden in these public health prevention gaps.
3. Describe how the US can reduce these hearing-related gaps in health.

Speakers

Abas Shkembi MS

Financial Disclosures: Grants at AppleNon-Financial Disclosures: None

Friday February 7, 2025 9:05am - 9:25am EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

9:25am EST

Impacts of noise exposure history on the rate of age-related changes to hearing

Friday February 7, 2025 9:25am - 9:45am EST

Crystal CDEF

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of noise exposure history on the rate of pure-tone threshold change per year.
Methods: Participants were 1,347 adults (mean age 63.4 [SD 14.3], follow-up time 5.1 [SD 5.7] years, 57.3% female, 17.6% racial Minority) from a longitudinal cohort study. Noise exposure history, determined via self-report and military history, was categorized as no/little, some, or high exposure. Outcome measures were audiometric thresholds (0.25-8.0 kHz) and pure-tone average (PTA [0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 kHz]), averaged bilaterally. Linear mixed regression models were used to estimate the effect of age (per +1 year) on the rate of threshold and PTA change.
Results: Participants with more noise exposure had poorer baseline thresholds at most frequencies 1.0-8.0 kHz and PTA. Those with high noise exposure (vs no/little) showed higher rates of threshold change per year at 1.0 and 2.0 kHz. Those with some and high noise exposure showed lower rates of change per year at 3.0-8.0 kHz and 4.0-8.0 kHz, respectively, where hearing loss had already occurred.
Conclusions: Noise exposure was associated with poorer baseline hearing, and higher rates of annual decline at some mid frequencies. Noise exposure can have immediate and potentially long-term negative impacts on hearing.

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the impacts of noise exposure on populations, in terms of the configuration and degree of hearing loss.
2. Describe the long-term impacts of noise exposure on populations.
3. Assess evidence from this, and other, longitudinal cohort studies in terms of the potential long-term impacts of noise exposure on populations.

Speakers

Lauren Dillard PhD. AuD. MS

Financial Disclosures: NoneNon-Financial Disclosures: None

Friday February 7, 2025 9:25am - 9:45am EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

9:45am EST

Break with Exhibitors

Friday February 7, 2025 9:45am - 10:15am EST

Crystal Foyer

Friday February 7, 2025 9:45am - 10:15am EST
Crystal Foyer

Networking & Meals

10:15am EST

Noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy: current understanding and research models

Friday February 7, 2025 10:15am - 10:35am EST

Crystal CDEF

In 2009, damage to the synapses connecting the inner hair cells to the auditory nerve fibers was identified as one of the earliest noise-induced pathologies in the cochlea. Since then, there has been tremendous interest in the identification of damage-risk relationships in rodent models. In addition, there have been many efforts to translate these findings from rodent models to humans. Whereas studies in rodents and non-human primates have been rigorously controlled using a single exposure to calibrated noise, studies in humans have attempted to estimate the cumulative effects of lifetime exposure and seek associations between exposure estimates and functional measurements, and identify biomarkers for specific damage, such as cochlear synaptopathy. This session will review the current understanding of noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy in rodents, non-human primates, and humans, and provide an overview of key questions in the application of these data to workers with chronic exposure to noise in the workplace. An overview of new studies assessing chronic noise exposure in non-human primates will be provided. In addition, this session will provide practical take home messages you can share with patients who have questions about noise-induced hearing deficits beyond the audiogram.

Learning Objectives:
1. Summarize the current understanding of noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy damage-risk relationships in rodents
2. Describe the current status of cochlear synaptopathy research in non-human primates
3. Provide appropriate messaging regarding the risks of noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy in humans exposed to occupational noise and other loud sound exposures

Speakers

Colleen Le Prell PhD

Financial Disclosures: Salary/Grants at NIH-NIDCD; Grants at American Academy of Audiology FoundationNon-Financial Disclosures: Participant at WHO Make Listening Safe Consultation Meetings; Member at NIOSH Nora HLP Cross Sector CouncilColleen le Prell is the Emilie and Phil Schepps... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 10:15am - 10:35am EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

10:35am EST

Characterization of Auditory Risk Factors in Impulsive Noise Environments

Friday February 7, 2025 10:35am - 10:55am EST

Crystal CDEF

Impulsive noise and blast are known to cause auditory deficits, but the relationship between exposure and injury is not well quantified. To better understand military-specific auditory injuries, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), in partnership with the Defense Center for Public Health Aberdeen (DCPH-A) and other collaborators within the DOD, has been engaged in a multiyear effort to characterize the hearing changes that occur following exposure to high-level impulsive noise.

This work has been enabled by two major advances: the development of wearable dosimeters capable of measuring both impulsive and continuous noise, and the development of boothless audiometer systems capable of measuring pre- and post-exposure hearing performance under field conditions. These technologies have made it possible to measure cumulative noise exposures and the resulting hearing changes in hundreds of service members who have been engaged in training events with heavy weapons and other high-level impulsive noise sources. The results provide insights into the development of improved hearing risk criteria for impulsive noise.

The views expressed in this abstract are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government.

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the technological advancements in wearable dosimeters and boothless audiometers that have enabled the measurement of hearing changes in military personnel.
2. Explain the importance of measuring temporary threshold shifts in hearing.
3. Apply prospective data into the development of improved hearing risk criteria for impulsive noise.

Speakers

Douglas Brungart PhD

Financial Disclosures: NoneNon-Financial Disclosures: None

Friday February 7, 2025 10:35am - 10:55am EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

10:55am EST

Estimating firearm sound levels conducted via the bone/tissue pathway using accelerometer recordings made with an anatomic head simulator

Friday February 7, 2025 10:55am - 11:15am EST

Crystal CDEF

Hearing protection devices are limited in their ability to attenuate high-level firearm impulse noise. Hazardous sound levels can reach the cochlea via the flanking bone/tissue conduction pathway. Assessing bone/tissue’s role in high-level impulse transduction could allow for more accurate assessment of risk to hearing and other body systems (i.e. brain health). The aim of this study was to estimate firearm sound levels conducted via the bone/tissue pathway using temporal bone acceleration recordings from an anatomic head simulator. Firearm impulses from two different rifles were recorded using an anatomic head simulator instrumented with bilateral triaxial accelerometers in the temporal bone region, high level pressure measurement microphones within each ear canal, and a hydrophone and angular rate sensor located near the center of the head. Field levels of the firearm impulses were determined using recordings from a measurement microphone positioned near the head simulator. Firearm impulse-related acceleration was converted to equivalent sound pressure using previously published Reference Equivalent Threshold Acceleration Levels and then compared with recordings made in the sound field. Results indicated that bone/tissue conducted sound levels estimated using this method corresponded with published bone conduction attenuation limits for .5, 1 and 2 kHz frequency bands.

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the role of the bone/tissue conduction pathway for high-level impulse sounds.
2. Explain firearm impulse sounds can generate substantial head acceleration.
3. List advantages and disadvantages of using acceleration of an anatomical head simulator to estimate sound levels conducted via the bone/tissue pathway.

Speakers

Stephen Tasko PhD

Financial Disclosures: NoneNon-Financial Disclosures: None

Friday February 7, 2025 10:55am - 11:15am EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

11:15am EST

DuoDose: a body-worn dosimeter for impulse noise environments

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 11:35am EST

Crystal CDEF

Impulsive noise is generated by the rapid release of compressed gases (impulse) or by the collision of solid objects (impact) and is most common in metalworking, construction, shipyard, and mining industries as well as law enforcement and the military. Research on the effect of complex (mixed steady state and impulsive) noise on hearing health suggests it may be more damaging than an equal amount of energy from steady state noise. There is also concern that repetitive low-level blast exposures might result in chronic brain health problems. Unfortunately, no commercial noise dosimeter currently measures complex noise accurately. We report on the collaborative development of a dual-microphone noise dosimeter with a wide dynamic range of 40 dBA up to 185 dB Peak with a sampling rate of up to 96 kHz. Real-time processing accounts for both steady-state and impulses into the calculation of total noise dose, records individual impulses that exceed a pre-specified threshold, and counts the number of impulses. We present data obtained in the laboratory with comparison to reference equipment, as well as in field settings, including military weapons training. We conclude on the utility of the device and future development needed to integrate it into occupational health programs.

Learning Objectives:
1. Distinguish the difference between steady-state noise, impulsive noise and complex noise.
2. Describe what makes impulse noise difficult to measure accurately.
3. Recognize the metrics that can be used to report measurements of noise that may include impulsive events.

Speakers

Odile Clavier PhD

Financial Disclosures: Salary, Intellectuial Property Rights at CREARENon-Financial Disclosures: None

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 11:35am EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

11:35am EST

NHCA Annual Business Meeting

Friday February 7, 2025 11:35am - 12:20pm EST

Crystal CDEF

Friday February 7, 2025 11:35am - 12:20pm EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

12:20pm EST

Luncheon Speaker: Anthropogenic Ocean Noise and It's Effect on Marine Mammals

Friday February 7, 2025 12:20pm - 1:50pm EST

Crystal CDEF

The primary sense of many marine mammals is hearing. To some degree, nearly all marine mammals rely on hearing for foraging, predator avoidance, and navigation. Anthropogenic noise in the world’s oceans has steadily increased since the industrial revolution. Anthropogenic ocean noise sources (e.g., sonar, seismic surveys, shipping) range in frequencies from tens of Hz to more than hundreds of kHz, can project at levels exceeding 235 dB re 1 µPa, and can be impulsive or continuous. Impacts to marine mammals resulting from noise exposure are like humans, mainly masking, temporary or permanent threshold shift (TTS and PTS, respectively), and behavioral disturbance or annoyance. In some extreme cases, whales have stranded and died after intense noise exposure. Extensive research over the last three decades has sought to determine the thresholds of received sound associated with the onset of TTS. The use of auditory evoked potential methods has also been used to measure audiograms in stranded or wild-caught species, since most marine mammals are not kept under human care. Collectively, these data for the basis of auditory weighting functions that are used to assess potential impacts to marine mammals as defined by the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Learning Objectives:
1. List ways in which ocean noise can detrimentally affect marine mammals.
2. Contrast the use of auditory weighting functions in marine mammals to use in humans.
3. Identify differences in auditory evoked potential methods as applied to marine mammals and humans.

Speakers

Dorian Houser PhD

Financial Disclosures: NoneNon-Financial Disclosures: None

Friday February 7, 2025 12:20pm - 1:50pm EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

1:50pm EST

Student Musicians, Hearing Loss, and Hearing Protection Behaviors: The Impact of Educational Approaches on Attitudes Toward and Uptake of Hearing Protection

Friday February 7, 2025 1:50pm - 2:10pm EST

Crystal CDEF

The development of professional-level musicianship requires playing and listening to music many hours per day over many years, but extended exposure to loud music (>85 dB) can lead to hearing loss. Because limiting exposure to music or controlling acoustic environments is not always feasible for student musicians, it is important to understand the likelihood of using personal hearing protection. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of social, attitudinal, and emotional input on retention and acceptance of information on hearing preservation by college music students. Two types of instruction were evaluated: the standard written information on hearing preservation disseminated by NASM, and a multimedia video containing the same information, but presented via video interviews of socially relevant role models. Participants comprised 66 music majors enrolled in a large Midwestern university and were randomly assigned to each group. Data were collected and analyzed to understand if there were differences in knowledge scores, satisfaction scores, and intention to use hearing protection between the two groups. Knowledge scores between the two interventions were not significantly different but the video group had significantly higher scores regarding their intention to use hearing protection, suggesting the importance of including role models in interventions.

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify key components in a hearing loss prevention program for student musicians to increase their knowledge of hearing loss risk.
2. Describe the importance of socially relevant role models when providing information to student musicians.
3. Compare the differences in intention to use hearing protection between intervention participants based on the type of information they received.

Speakers

Hae Sun Kim PhD MT-BC

Financial Disclosures: NoneNon-Financial Disclosures: None

Friday February 7, 2025 1:50pm - 2:10pm EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

2:10pm EST

Sound Quality and Music Perception of Custom Passive and Uniform Fit Electronic Musician's Hearing Protection Devices

Friday February 7, 2025 2:10pm - 2:30pm EST

Crystal CDEF

This project was funded in part by an NHCA Scholarship Foundation Student Research Award

Sound quality is cited as a major barrier to musicians wearing musicians hearing protection devices (MHPD). Level and flatness of attenuation demonstrated significant yet weak correlations with sound quality. This study builds on previous research by using custom-fit products (to remove differences in comfort), recruiting musicians as well as untrained listeners, and adding music perception tests to the test battery.

Both musicians and untrained listener groups are asked to rate the sound quality of music and complete music perception tests while listening to music through custom-fit passive MHPDs (cMHPDs) and electronic uniform-fit MHPD (eMHPDs). Three attenuation filters are used for the cMHPD (9, 15, and 25 dB attenuations) and three attenuation settings were used for the eMHPD (9 and 15 dB, and an off setting).

Data collection is ongoing. Data will be analyzed to test hypotheses related to changes in perceived sound quality and performance on music perception tests with increasing attenuation.

The results of this study will contribute to the understanding of barriers to the use of MHPD by musicians and music appreciators. Data from the music perception tests will reveal whether increasing attenuation compromises performance. Taken together, these findings will help guide education on MHPD use by musicians.

Learning Objectives:
1. Explain how acoustic properties of MHPDs affect sound quality
2. Differentiate the factors that majorly affect MHPD use in musician populations
3. Apply knowledge of music perception tests to better understand the distortion caused by attenuation profiles of MHPDs

Speakers

Conner Jansen AuD SRA

Connor is a 2024 recipient of the NHCA Scholarship Foundation Student Research Award.Financial Disclosures: Student Research Award at NHCA Non-Financial Disclosures: Grants at AAAF

Friday February 7, 2025 2:10pm - 2:30pm EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

2:30pm EST

Updates from the NHCA Task Force on Hearing Protector Fit Testing

Friday February 7, 2025 2:30pm - 2:50pm EST

Crystal CDEF

Hearing Protector Fit Testing (HPFT) is quickly gaining acceptance as a critical element of a successful hearing conservation program. NHCA encourages the continued adoption of this practice and recognizes the need for research in this area. To support these goals, NHCA founded the Task Force on Hearing Protection Fit Testing (HPFTTF).

The first task of HPFTTF was to draft an evidence-based Position Statement on HPFT, representing current recommendations and best practices. The Position Statement recognizes HPFT as a powerful tool for preventing noise-induced hearing loss, with potential to shape the practice of hearing loss prevention. Some of the topics covered in the Position Paper are Measurement Methods and Systems, Resulting Data and Statistics, Benefits and Challenges, and Incorporating HPFT into a Hearing Conservation Program (HCP). The document also discusses practical considerations such as how to choose a system, who to test and when to test them, how to interpret and apply results, and special situations.

NHCA recommends the use of HPFT as part of a comprehensive HCP and encourages continued research to further define best practice policy, explore use cases, and evaluate the long-term impact of HPFT.

Learning Objectives:
1. Explain why the NHCA Task Force on Hearing Protector Fit Testing was formed
2. Examine the importance of HPFT and the need for this work
3. Identify gaps in research & policy related to HPFT

Speakers

Jackie DiFrancesco AuD PhD CCC-A

Financial Disclosures: Salary/Employment at Michael & AssociatesNon-Financial Disclosures: None

Friday February 7, 2025 2:30pm - 2:50pm EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

2:50pm EST

Interstate Practice and ASLP-IC

Friday February 7, 2025 2:50pm - 3:10pm EST

Crystal CDEF

A review of current policy issues and trends in interstate practice by audiologists, including ongoing changes to state telepractice laws and an update on the implementation of the audiology and SLP interstate compact (ASLP-IC).

Video: Understanding the Audiology SLP Interstate Compact (ASLP-IC)

Learning Objectives:
1.Differentiate between state requirements for out-of-state telepractice.
2. Identify nationwide policy trends in the regulation of telepractice.
3. Identify changes to telepractice regulation as the declared public health emergency ends in many states

Speakers

Tim Boyd MPH

Financial Disclosures: Salary/Employment at ASHANon-Financial Disclosures: None

Friday February 7, 2025 2:50pm - 3:10pm EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

3:10pm EST

Break with Exhibitors

Friday February 7, 2025 3:10pm - 3:40pm EST

Crystal Foyer

Friday February 7, 2025 3:10pm - 3:40pm EST
Crystal Foyer

Networking & Meals

3:40pm EST

Sustainability and Hearing Protection Devices: Introducing the Product Category Rule

Friday February 7, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm EST

Crystal CDEF

The megatrend on improving sustainability is touching personal protective equipment through standards and regulations relevant to product design, packaging selection and manufacturer claims about product life cycles and their environmental impact. Recent revisions in a European hearing protection standard, anticipated regulations concerning sustainability claims, and increased consumer interest in general sustainability factors, spurred the effort to create a Product Category Rule for hearing protector devices. This project followed on the heels of the first publication of a PCR for respiratory protective devices. A PCR sets the rules for creating a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and provide the requirements and guidelines for developing an EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) for a specific product category. Using a standardized approach globally, establishes a consistent and transparent process for conducting the LCA and ensure that functionally similar products are assessed in the same ways. This presentation explains the work undertaken to create the first PCR for hearing protector devices. It describes how the PCR is used to help calculate legitimate LCA’s, which provide the data and foundation for Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). Benefits of the PCR include the potential to improve authenticity and transparency for consumers when comparing environmental impact of like products.

Learning Objectives:
1. Give one example of a sustainability product claim.
2. Describe the relationship between a Product Category Rule and a Life Cycle Assessment.
3. Explain how using a standardized approach to Life Cycle Assessments can be beneficial.

Speakers

Laurie Wells AuD CPS/A ABAC

Financial Disclosures: Salary/Ownership Interest for Employment at 3MNon-Financial Disclosures: None

Friday February 7, 2025 3:40pm - 4:00pm EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

4:00pm EST

Assessment of Noise-Related Health Risk in Dental Professionals: A Comprehensive Study

Friday February 7, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm EST

Crystal CDEF

This project was funded in part by an NHCA Scholarship Foundation Student Research Award

Hazardous noise exposure is an important health concern in many workplaces and is one of the most common work-related injuries in the United States. Dental professionals are frequently exposed to high levels of occupational noise in their daily work environment. This noise is generated by various dental handpieces such as drills, suctions, and ultrasonic scalers.
Prolonged exposure to such noise levels is known to have adverse effects on hearing health.
Despite the prevalence of occupational noise in dentistry, there is a paucity of comprehensive research specifically addressing the noise intensity of dental handpieces and examining the prevalence of hearing loss and tinnitus in dental professionals. First, noise levels were measured from different dental handpieces and evacuation systems in a typical clinic setting. To evaluate the prevalence of hearing loss and tinnitus, data were collected from 60 dental professionals
including participant demographics and audiometric thresholds. Results showed that 15-25% of males and 13-18% of females had hearing loss that exceeded 95 th percentile limits based on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) normative age-distributions. Tinnitus was reported in 40% of the participants. This study is the first to offer a comprehensive characterization of auditory thresholds in dental professionals with comparisons to the ISO normative age-distributions for males and females.

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe if dental equipment generates sound that exceed the safe ranges.
2. Describe the hearing levels of dental professionals.
3. Explain measures dental professionals can take to prevent noise-induced hearing loss.

Speakers

Samantha Rodriguez SRA

Sasmantha is a 2024 recipient of the NHCA Scholarship Foundation Student Research Award.Financial Disclosures: NoneNon-Financial Disclosures: None

Friday February 7, 2025 4:00pm - 4:20pm EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

4:20pm EST

An overview of the World Health Organization Make Listening Safe Initiative

Friday February 7, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm EST

Crystal CDEF

The World Health Organization (WHO) Make listening safe initiative aims to realize a world where people of all ages can enjoy all types of recreational listening without risk to their hearing. Over 3 billion people worldwide regularly engage in video gameplay and esports and may be exposed prolonged and high-intensity audio, demonstrating the need to prioritize safe listening among game players. This presentation will provide an overview of the WHO Make listening safe initiative, with a focus on efforts related to safe listening among video game and/or esports players. In addition to providing an overview on the WHO Make listening safe initiative, this presentation will focus on three primary topics. First, the speaker will present an overview of the current evidence base, including details from a systematic review and global surveys, related to the risk of unsafe listening among video game players. Second, the speaker will discuss the creation of evidence-based standards, developed in collaboration with various stakeholders, aiming to promote safe listening among video game players. Third, the speaker will present ways in which the WHO aims to raise global awareness on safe listening.

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the WHO Make listening safe initiative and its relevance to global prevention of hearing loss.
2. Describe the need to prioritize safe listening among video game and esports players.
3. Describe current WHO-led, stakeholder-engaged, actions towards the creation of evidence-based standards to promote safe listening and raise awareness on the risks of unsafe listening.

Speakers

Lauren Dillard PhD. AuD. MS

Financial Disclosures: NoneNon-Financial Disclosures: None

Friday February 7, 2025 4:20pm - 4:40pm EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

4:40pm EST

Audiograms don’t tell the whole story. Challenges faced by a firefighter and approaches to prevent hearing loss from ototoxicants

Friday February 7, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm EST

Crystal CDEF

Firefighters encounter a multitude of toxic substances in their line of duty, significantly impacting their health. NIOSH has investigated many of the exposures and health effects that are prevalent among firefighters. Ototoxic agents (carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, volatile organic compounds, and metals) are some of the hazards firefighters face. Despite the risk of hearing effects, hearing testing is not consistently offered to firefighters, and when available, it is limited to pure-tone audiometry. Cases of ototoxicity may or may not include poorer hearing thresholds, but often lead to difficulties in discriminating sounds such as speech, particularly in adverse listening conditions. Unfortunately, no standardized methods are in place for monitoring hearing in individuals exposed to hazardous chemicals at work. To address this gap, the International Ototoxicity Management Group is finalizing expert consensus resources designed for occupational health and safety programs. The proposed strategies include early identification through self-report questionnaires, expanded hearing testing and vestibular screening, criteria for referral and management of cases. Continuous efforts are needed to improve protective measures and reduce these hazardous exposures firefighters face. Listen as one firefighter joins us to share his story.

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe hidden hearing loss and how it affects people who suffer with this hearing loss.
2. Explain the gap that exists with no standardized measures to address the hearing of workers exposed to hazardous chemicals.
3. Describe the International Ototoxicity Management Group's expert consensus resources designed for occupational health and safety programs.

Speakers

James Burneka

Friday February 7, 2025 4:40pm - 5:00pm EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

5:00pm EST

2025 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards™

Friday February 7, 2025 5:00pm - 5:30pm EST

Crystal CDEF

In this 16th round of Safe-in-Sound Awards the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the National Hearing Conservation Association and the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation will recognize organizations that document measurable achievements in hearing loss prevention. The submissions are evaluated against key performance indicators in a rigorous review process designed to capture and evaluate the successes. The attendees will get to hear about the innovative strategies and the success stories from the winners themselves firsthand. Their examples which also will be shared with a broader occupational safety and health community.

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify an organization that is a sponsor of the Safe-in-Sound Award.
2. List two features of hearing loss prevention programs that exemplify going beyond the regulatory requirements.
3. Describe the purpose of the Safe-in-Sound Award.

Speakers

Laurie Wells AuD CPS/A ABAC

Financial Disclosures: Salary/Ownership Interest for Employment at 3MNon-Financial Disclosures: None

Tim Boyd MPH

Financial Disclosures: Salary/Employment at ASHANon-Financial Disclosures: None

Friday February 7, 2025 5:00pm - 5:30pm EST
Crystal CDEF

Platform Session

5:45pm EST

Poster Session

Friday February 7, 2025 5:45pm - 6:45pm EST

Crystal AB

A Hybrid Model of Presenting Dangerous Decibels to Multiple Classrooms Simultaneously
Valerie Pavlovich Ruff, AuD, Sharon Sandridge, Ph.D.
Descriptives of cohort one participants in the Apple Hearing Study
Lauren M. Smith, MS, MPH, COHC
Evaluating the Necessity of Follow-Up Test Two in DoD Hearing Conservation Protocol
John Foster, Lt Col, AuD, MSPH, Jennifer Sweny, AuD
Hearing Loss and Physical Activity in Aging Farmers
Jan Moore, Ph.D.
Investigation of Spatial Memory and Learning Skills in Rats with Unilateral Mild-Moderate Congenital Hearing Loss: A Preliminary Behavioral Study
FATMA NUR KOMUR, MSc., OZLEM TUGCE CILINGIR KAYA, Ph.D., AYCA CIPRUT, Ph.D., AYSE NUR YAVUZ, Ph.D., ALI CEMAL YUMUSAKHUYLU, Ph.D.
Exploration of Prevalence, Progression, and Prevention of Hearing Loss in Osteogenesis Imperfecta Types III and IV by COL1A1 and COL1A2 mutations.
Julie Christensen, M.S.
Sound exposure and hearing protection: A survey of electronic dance music attendees
Hannah Miller, BA
Speech Intelligibility and Phonemic Errors in Veterans with Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Madison Aivaz, B.S., Sridhar Krishnamurti, Ph.D, Kathleen McDevitt, Undergraduate Student
The Role of Music Educators in Hearing Loss Prevention
Blake Voss, B.S.
Evaluation and Comparison of Hearing Protector Training Methods
William J. Murphy, Ph.D.

Click here to read poster descriptions and learning objectives.

Friday February 7, 2025 5:45pm - 6:45pm EST
Crystal AB

Poster Session

6:30pm EST

Student/New Member Meet & Greet

Friday February 7, 2025 6:30pm - 7:00pm EST

Crystal Foyer

Friday February 7, 2025 6:30pm - 7:00pm EST
Crystal Foyer

Networking & Meals

7:00pm EST

Exhibitor Reception

Friday February 7, 2025 7:00pm - 8:30pm EST

Crystal Foyer

Friday February 7, 2025 7:00pm - 8:30pm EST
Crystal Foyer

Networking & Meals