DENTISTS’ COMPLIANCE TO HANDS HYGIENE AS METHOD OF HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATED INFECTIONS PREVENTION

Abstract

The aim of this study is to assess the dentists compliance to hands hygiene procedure in order to decrease the incidence of health care associated infections. Material and methods. It was initiated a questionnaire based study including 279 dentists aged between 26 and 62 years in Iasi, Romania. The data were analyzed using the SPSS.15.0 system and Chi square test (p<0.05). Results. The general level of compliance to hands hygiene was 77%. Women (88,7%) and dentists in the 20-40 age group (78,7%) demonstrated a higher compliance to this procedure. The subjects aged over 61 years (78,4%) prefer the routine technique of hand washing with soap and water. The most commonly used product is the antibacterial soap (69.4%), followed by alcohol-based products , plain soap and chlorhexidine products . Dentists’ answers reveal a compliance of 98.9% for rubber gloves. Hypersensitivity reactions caused by rubber gloves was reported by 16,1% of dentists. Conclusions. Efficient educational and training interventions are needed in order to support the dentists’ compliance to hands hygiene and to decrease the risk of health care associated infections.

Keywords

• dentists compliance
• hands hygiene
• oral health care associated infections