Infection control in Dental Laboratories: A survey of Nigerian dental technology students

Abstract

Context: Transmission of infection may occur in laboratory oral healthcare setting with undermined infection control.
Objective: To assess infection control knowledge and confidence in protecting self from occupational acquisition of HIV infection among Nigerian dental technology students.
Methods: This questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey of dental technology students of Federal School of Dental Therapy and Technology Enugu, Nigeria was conducted in 2010.
Results: The infection control knowledge among the respondents in this study was high. The roles of dental technologists in infection control expressed by the respondents were use of protective wares-(74.3%),
sterilization-(39.4%), disinfection of impression-(13.1%), proper instrument handling-(9.1%) and hand washing-(4.0%). A total of 68.2% of the respondents asserted that infection can be transmitted from impression with 44.4% of them pinpointing tuberculosis as the most likely transmissible infection. The majority (87.9%) of the respondents expressed confidence in the ability to protect self from occupational HIV
acquisition. More than half (57.1%) of the respondents reported having adequate HIV-related knowledge for information delivery to the patients and public.
Conclusion: Overall the infection control knowledge and expressed  confidence in the ability to protect self from occupation HIV acquisition was good in this study.

Key words: Knowledge, infection control, transmission, dental technology students.