Evaluation of dental assistant awareness concerning infection control policy of blood borne diseases

Dental healthcare professionals are at an increased risk of cross- infection during dental treatments. the incidence of certain infectious diseases such as hepatitis b,tuberculosis,and herpes simplex has been significantly high amongst dental professionals,due to the fact that many dental staff fail to implement effective precautions and procedures regarding infection control. the objective of this study is to recognize knowledge level of dental assistants for the purpose of developing infection control training programs. sixty-five dental assistants participated in this cross sectional study. the questionnaire consisted of diverse items related to dental infection control protocol. the authors obtained statistics of the returned data by means of a statistical software package. the results indicated an intermediate degree of familiarity with existing dental infection control guidelines. dental assistants with high qualifications and more work experience exhibited high levels of intelligence. both public and private work sector assistants represented equivalent measures. in conclusion,dental clinics reported moderate levels of compliance with current infection control policies and procedures. recurrent training,continual inspection,a highly motivated staff,and teamwork are essential for reaching and maintaining high levels of infection control strategies.