Infection control in the private dental sector in Riyadh

Background: With the global rise in the number of people infected with hepatitis B and C and HIV viruses, cross infection has become of paramount concern to dental health care workers and their patients. The objective of this study was to assess the infection control practice in the private dental sector in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Subjects and Methods: The study was conducted through a cross-sectional survey of private dental practices in the city of Riyadh. A total sample size of 132 dental units was chosen using the proportional allocation method. Three hospitals, 45 clinics and 39 centers were selected randomly. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by dentists working in the selected settings. Results: Of the 206 questionnaires sent, 203 (98.5%) were completed. The mean age of the responding dentists was 36.8±6.7 years. A total of 139 dentists (68.5%) were general practitioners and 64 (31.5%) were specialists. A total of 129 (63.5%) stated that they had been vaccinated against hepatitis B virus and 189 (93.1%) stated that they always took a medical history of each patient before treatment. All the studied dentists reported that they always used gloves for every patient during dental treatment, and 90.6% stated that they always wore a face mask during dental treatment. The primary source of infection control information for the studied dentists was from the colleges (78.3%). Only 37.9% of the dentists sterilized their handpieces by autoclaving, while the other 53.7% used disinfectant. About 56% disposed of used needles and sharp instruments in special safety containers. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that working in clinics, age >40 years and knowledge of correct sterilization steps were independent promoting factors for adherence to infection control practice (OR=3.8, CI=1.2-12.1; OR=10.2, CI=1.61-64.8; OR=5.6, CI=1.04-29.9, respectively). Conclusion: The development of infection control manual for dental practices, in addition to a campaign of health education for dentists in the private sector, is recommended.