Analysis of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Towards Infection Control among Dental Undergraduate Students

Abstract

Aims: The present aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding infection control among dental undergraduate students of Mumbai, India.

Introduction: Healthcare personnel are always susceptible to infectious diseases if inadequate infection control measures are undertaken. In a dental setup, transmission occurs through air, blood, saliva droplets, or improper sterilization of instruments. Despite various standardized protocols in infection control, dental undergraduate students fail to obey the same.  Transmission of various existing and emerging new infections can easily occur in dental clinics through various courses which include direct contact with blood, oral fluids, other secretions, indirect contact with contaminated instruments, operatory instruments, and contact with airborne contaminants present in either droplet splatter.

Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study comprising a 13-point close-ended, self-administered questionnaire was prepared and distributed among interns, final-year dental students, and 3rd-year dental students across six dental colleges. The questions were divided into three categories: knowledge, attitude, and practice. The responses were used for data collection and accordingly, results were made. The analysis was done using IBM SPSS Statistics version 22. The statistical significance was considered at P \(\le\) 0.05.

Results: A total of 851 undergraduate students were assessed for knowledge, attitude, and practice toward infection control. Only 40% of the interns, 40% of the final-year students, and 42% of the 3rd-year students had precise knowledge about infection control measures. Twenty-four percent of the interns, 27% of the final-year students, and 25% of the 3rd-year students showed accurate attitudes toward infection control. Finally, 41% of the interns, 44% of the final-year students, and 39% of the 3rd-year students inculcated the right practice in controlling infection. Strict monitoring of the routine use of infection control guidelines should be adhered to by all dental schools for the safety of patients and healthcare workers. This will help the dental undergraduate students to instil a positive attitude towards infection control hence improving their quality of dental practice and life. More such surveys should be carried out to authenticate our results thereby accomplishing the goal of infection-free practice.

Conclusion: Infection control is essential to reduce the risk of occupational infection to the practitioner and the auxiliary staff. Dental schools should give more emphasis on infection control protocols.