KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICE OF DENTISTS REGARDING HBV PREVENTION IN RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA

Background: The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a serious problem for medical professionals worldwide. Dental physicians are at the highest risk of HBV infection due to their frequent contact with blood and bodily fluids. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among dental physicians in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to assess the dentists' knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding HBV prevention. Results: A total of 107 dentists were included in this study; 67.3% of them aged from 26-35 years, 73.8% had bachelor's degree, and 39.3% had clinical experience years from 2-4. A significant association was found between knowing the immediate symptoms that appear after HBV infection (P=0.000), the presence of PEP for HBV (P=0.000), and knowing about MTCT (P=0.009) and the participants' age. Conclusion: This study reported good knowledge levels, positive attitudes, and good practice towards HBV prevention among dental physicians in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We found relatively low knowledge levels was demonstrated regarding the presence of PEP for HBV, negative attitudes towards the effectiveness period of PEP, and poor practice of wearing gloves. Keywords: HBV, dentists, knowledge, attitude, and practice