Cross-infection control practice of staff in a dental school

Patients, dentists and auxiliaries of all groups run risks every time they enter the dental clinic. While some of the risks are inevitable, others are. One risk that exists in many instances is that of transferring infection from one individual to another ( Calchamiro, 1986, Dowell, 1986 and Shovelton, 1982). In 1946, Humpreys described how three dental staff had developed different infections which include syphilis, diphtheria and actinomycosis. It was established that these infections took place during the treatment of infected patients. He stated: “Taken together, the show that dental practice is a more dangerous trade than the public supposes”. It remains a fact that dental practice is more dangerous than the dental profession realizes. The increasing incidence of infections with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV), with their associated morbidity and mortality, has led to a worldwide increased awareness of the risks of cross-infection between patients, dentists and their staff (Burke, 1990). The discipline of infection control has experienced a renaissance during the last decade. No doubt this was stimulated by AIDS rather than by the increasing incidence of hepatitis B which poses a greater risk to dental staff (Hardie, 1990). Substantial evidence has accumulated over the past 15 to 20 years demonstrating the effectiveness of health care infection control precautions in limiting the potential for disease transmission (Molinarte et al, 1990). The goal of infection control is to eliminate the transfer of microorganisms which may be accomplished in several ways. These methods include (1) the use of personal barrier equipments, (2) immunization of dental health care workers against infectious diseases of concern, (3) correct cleaning and disinfection of surfaces and equipment to remove infec-tious agents, (4) sterilization of instruments, and (5) proper techniques for handling sharp instruments (Miller, 1996 and Wood, 1992). The purpose of this study was to obtain comprehensive information about the knowledge, attitudes and level of cross-infection control practice among dental professionals of the college of dentistry at King Saud University in Riyadh.King Saud Universit