Objectives : This study was to study dental hygiene department students' management of infection
and their attitude toward infection.
Methods : This study was conducted from August 24, 2009 to September 20, 2009. 269 sophomore
and junior college students enrolled in the department of dental hygiene from schools located in
Gyeonggi-do and Gangwon-do participated in the study. A self-administered questionnaire survey
was conducted.
Results :
1. As for dental hygiene department students' recognition of the causes of infectious diseases, 80.7%
of the respondents said hepatitis B was the infectious disease highly likely to occur in laboratories.
35.3% was correct about the antecedent variables of infection in the workshop, 24.9% about the
oral symptoms of HIV and 18.6% about the diseases induced by HBV. The recognition rates were
generally low.
2. About whether the respondents ask patients questions about infectious diseases, 80.7% of them
answered Yes, but only 56.2% of them said they do so every time, and 17.8% of them said they
never do so.
3. As far as washing hands to prevent infectious diseases is concerned, 97.4% of the respondents said
hand washing helps prevent infection. 72.5% of them said they wash their hands every time
before they practice on a patient, while 84.0% of them said they washed their hands after the lab practice. 90.7% said they use liquid soap containing anti-microbial agents, and 81.8% of them said
they use paper towels.
4. With regard to protective gear for prevention of infectious diseases, 98.9% of the respondents said
it is desirable to use disposable protective gear for each patient. When it comes to what they actually
used as protective gear, 91.1% said aprons, 89.2% gloves, and 87.7% masks. However, a low
percentage of the respondents actually use goggles and replace masks when they got damp, 11.2%
and 24.2% respectively.
Conclusions : As for treating the surface of equipments to prevent infectious diseases, most of the
respondents exhibited a high recognition rate. Relative fewer respondents actually treat the surface
of equipments than those respondents who are aware of the need to do so. A high percentage of the
respondents also said they use alcohol sponge to treat the surface of each equipment in order to prevent
infectious diseases.
Objectives : This study was to study dental hygiene department students' management of infection
and their attitude toward infection.
Methods : This study was conducted from August 24, 2009 to September 20, 2009. 269 sophomore
and junior college students enrolled in the department of dental hygiene from schools located in
Gyeonggi-do and Gangwon-do participated in the study. A self-administered questionnaire survey
was conducted.
Results :
1. As for dental hygiene department students' recognition of the causes of infectious diseases, 80.7%
of the respondents said hepatitis B was the infectious disease highly likely to occur in laboratories.
35.3% was correct about the antecedent variables of infection in the workshop, 24.9% about the
oral symptoms of HIV and 18.6% about the diseases induced by HBV. The recognition rates were
generally low.
2. About whether the respondents ask patients questions about infectious diseases, 80.7% of them
answered Yes, but only 56.2% of them said they do so every time, and 17.8% of them said they
never do so.
3. As far as washing hands to prevent infectious diseases is concerned, 97.4% of the respondents said
hand washing helps prevent infection. 72.5% of them said they wash their hands every time
before they practice on a patient, while 84.0% of them said they washed their hands after the lab practice. 90.7% said they use liquid soap containing anti-microbial agents, and 81.8% of them said
they use paper towels.
4. With regard to protective gear for prevention of infectious diseases, 98.9% of the respondents said
it is desirable to use disposable protective gear for each patient. When it comes to what they actually
used as protective gear, 91.1% said aprons, 89.2% gloves, and 87.7% masks. However, a low
percentage of the respondents actually use goggles and replace masks when they got damp, 11.2%
and 24.2% respectively.
Conclusions : As for treating the surface of equipments to prevent infectious diseases, most of the
respondents exhibited a high recognition rate. Relative fewer respondents actually treat the surface
of equipments than those respondents who are aware of the need to do so. A high percentage of the
respondents also said they use alcohol sponge to treat the surface of each equipment in order to prevent
infectious diseases.