KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES REGARDING THE MANAGEMENT OF CONTAMINATED WASTE IN DENTAL PRACTICE AMONG DENTAL DOCTORS IN IAȘI, ROMANIA

Abstract

Biologically contaminated waste in medical practice has become one of the most urgent environmental issues. As producers of hazardous waste, dentists have the responsibility and obligation to ensure proper waste management in their clinics. The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes regarding the management of contaminated waste in dental practice among dental practitioners in Iași, Romania. Material and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire via the survio platform, including questions related to demographic profile (age, gender, specialization, years of practice) and inquiries evaluating knowledge, awareness, and practice concerning biomedical waste management. Results: 78.7% of participants were aware of the guidelines regulating medical activity in dental offices; 85.3% of respondents correctly identified the colors for each type of waste; 46.7% of respondents chose “1 week” as the storage duration for waste; 72% of dentists consider that managing contaminated waste is their responsibility. Conclusions: our study revealed that although the attitude towards biomedical waste management was highly positive among the dentists, the results indicate that while dentists understand the importance of managing hazardous waste, knowledge and practice still have room for improvement.

Keywords

• contaminated waste
• dental clinic
• dental practitioners