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Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Infection Control Measures in Private Dental Clinics in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Introduction: Dental health care providers (DHCPs) are exposed to many hazards during dental treatment including cross-infection of blood-borne pathogens. Various microorganisms can be easily transmitted in a dental clinic setup, such as HBV, HCV, HIV as well as other viruses and bacteria. This study aims to assess the level of knowledge, attitude and practice of infection control (IC) measures of the DHCPs in the private dental sector in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Material and Method: This study was conducted between December 2017 and February 2018. A self-administered questionnaire was used which was consisted of four sections related to infection control guidelines covering their general background, infection control knowledge, attitude toward the infection control in the dental clinics and finally practicing infection control in their clinics. Results: A total of 245 DHCPs (108 males 44.1%, 137 females 55.9%) in private clinics participated in the study. 115 had less than five years of experience (46.9%). 7.3% of them (n=18) were not vaccinated against HBV. 26.9% of DHCPs (n=66) did not realize that the risk of acquiring HBV infection is higher than HIV in dental practice whereas 55.5% dentists (n=136) were not aware of the management of needlestick and sharps injuries. 33.5% of participants (n=82) think that wearing gloves replaces the need of hand wash. 3.3% did not perform hand hygiene after contacting each patient and 46.5% did not know the correct duration of hand hygiene. Many dentists were not compliant with standard precautions of IC, e.g., the unsafe behavior of bending needles after use (n=72; 29.4%), did not wear a gown (n=67; 27.3%) and did not wear masks during patient treatment (n=14; 5.7%). Data analysis also revealed that knowledge and attitude scores were significantly higher among participants who have a postgraduate education than participants with a diploma or bachelor degrees. Nevertheless, the correct practice score was higher among diploma or bachelor degrees than participants with higher education. Conclusion: IC knowledge and practice among DHCPs in private clinics in Jeddah needs improvement. Continued education and obligatory IC training programs are recommended to improve their practice and update their knowledge.