Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dentistry (Jul 2020)
Practices of Infection Control Among Dental Care Providers: A Cross Sectional Study
Abstract
Arwa M Mahasneh,1 Maram Alakhras,2 Omar F Khabour,3 Amani G Al-Sa’di,4 Dana S Al-Mousa2 1Department of Applied Dental Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan; 2Department of Allied Medical Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan; 3Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Jordan University of Science & Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan; 4Technical Coordination and Consumer Education Section of the Jordanian Food and Drug Administration, Irbid 22110, JordanCorrespondence: Arwa M MahasnehDepartment of Applied Dental Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P.O.Box 3030, Irbid 22110, JordanTel + 962796357733Email [email protected]: A wide range of microorganisms poses a threat to patients and dental care teams. Implementation of safety guidelines is thus essential to prevent infection in dental clinics.Aim: To investigate the level of infection-control practices among dental health-care providers in Jordan.Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to dental care providers from hospitals, academic institutions, and dental centres. The questionnaire covered sociodemographic variables, professional characteristics, and recommended guidelines of infection control.Results: A total of 190 questionnaires were obtained out of 500 distributed questionnnaires (response rate: 38%). Females accounted for 62.6% of the sample and 64.7% were dentists. The majority was vaccinated against hepatitis B (82.1%) and wash their hands as usual behavior before (66.3%) and after (83.2%) treatment. Approximately 87.9% wear gloves and 78.9% wear masks while performing dental procedures. Autoclave sterilization and puncture-resistant containers for sharp instruments were used by 90.5% and 88.4%, respectively. The majority (81.0%) had protocols for emergency treatment of needle stick or other sharps accidents. High volume evacuation was used in 28.6% of public hospitals compared to 19.4% in academic institutions (P< 0.01). In addition, surface barriers for dental unit surfaces were used by 70.2% of private dental clinics, 50% of public hospitals, and 36.1% of academic institutions (P< 0.001). Finally, compared to dentists, dental support staff showed low compliance with infection-control guidelines.Conclusion: The overall practice of infection-control measures among the participants is very good. Educational programs and training strategies should be implemented to maximize and enhance the compliance of the dental care providers with infection-control guidelines.Keywords: infection control, dental care providers, vaccination, sterilization, disinfection
