Compliance to infection control routines and knowledge of blood-borne infections among  different groups of dental students at Sefako Makgatho Healtn Sciences University, South Africa : a cross-sectional study

Background: Blood-borne infections are common problem in healthcare. Informations about the prevalence in dental care are limitet. Healthcare professionals in South Africa are particularly vulnerable to blood-borne infections. The best way to minimize blood-borne infections is to increase compliance to infection control. Objective: To describe and compare compliance to infection control routines and knowledge of blood-borne infections among different groups of dental students at a university in Ga-Rankuwa, South Africa. Materials and method: A quantitative cross-section web-based survey. The participants were dental students who were registered in 2019, dental hygienist, dental therapist students, 3ed year and dental students 4th year. Non Parametric – Chi - Square and Fisher's test was used to analyze data. Result: Majority of the students had compliance regarding the use of gloves and mask during patient treatment, changing gloves and disinfection of unit between patients. Compliance was less at other parts where approximately half (49%) had the correct answer concerning: gloves, using of gloves, clinical uniform and using of mobile and accessories. Correct answers to the knowledge of blood-borne infections för all dental students was 67%. Conclusions: The participants had better results on knowledge of blood-borne infections than on compliance to infection kontrol. No significant difference was found among the student dental group