Awareness on prevention of blood borne diseases and preventive practices among dental practitioners of some selected dental clinics of dhaka city

Background: Dental Surgeons and health-care workers have always had a high risk of exposure to blood-borne diseases as a result of their occupation. Dental surgeons have substantial occupational exposure to blood and the risk of blood-borne infection because of frequent handling of sharp instruments, metal objects (e.g., wire), and bone fragments during operative procedures. Dentists must ensure they grasp the risk of communicable diseases. Methods: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study with a sample size of 200 dentists in and around Dhanmondi area of Dhaka City. Self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the level of awareness on prevention of blood borne diseases and preventive practices among dental practitioners. Results: Only 20% of the dental practitioner told that the diseases spread through saliva. 20% had the practice of taking the history of blood transfusion and only 16% of past surgical interventions in the past. 88% had the practice of taking the history of whether the patient had suffered from hepatitis B or C infection. 74% said they wore gloves and mask during all kinds of treatment procedures but 40 % does not practice autoclave of instruments regularly. 76% dispose the used needles and other sharp wastes along with the other waste materials in one same container. Conclusion: This study shows that the dentists are aware of the threat of spread of blood borne diseases among the dental practitioner but they do not avail all the necessary steps needed for prevention of transmission of blood borne diseases from the patients.