The Infection Control Practices of General Dental Practitioners

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the infection control practices of general dentists in Ontario in 1994. DESIGN: Confidential coded questionnaires were mailed to all general dental practitioners in Ontario (n = 5,176), with three follow-up attempts. Data were analyzed using Pearson's chi-squared test and multiple logistic regression. SETTING: Offices of general dental practitioners in Ontario. PARTICIPANTS: General dental practitioners actively involved in treating patients. RESULTS: The response rate adjusted for nondelivery was 70%. A high proportion of respondents reported using gloves (always, 91.8%; sometimes, 7.8%), masks (always, 74.8%; sometimes, 21.1%), or protective eyewear (always, 83.6%; sometimes, 13%); heat sterilization of handpieces (83.9%); and hepatitis B (HBV) vaccination of dentists (92.3%). However, only 61.4% of respondents reported HBV vaccination of all clinical staff, and 87.7% used additional precautions for patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Significant predictors of the use of recommended infection control procedures (i.e., always using gloves, masks, and eye protection; heat sterilization of handpieces; HBV vaccination for dentist and staff; and no extra precautions for patients with HIV) were age < 40 years (odds ratio [OR], 2.6), lack of concern regarding increased personal risk (OR, 2.0) or costs of infection control procedures (OR, 1.5), and knowledge of the low infectivity of HIV after a needlestick injury (OR, 2.0) and that infection control procedures for HBV are adequate for HIV (OR, 2.7). CONCLUSION: Additional education is required to promote a more realistic perception of risk of HIV transmission in the dental office and the use of all recommended infection control practices, including Universal Precautions.