Infection control practices among
Dental Practitioners of Lahore, Pakistan

Syed Akhtar Hussain Bokhari¹, Shamta Sufia², Ayyaz Ali Khan³

ABSTRACT

Objective: To observe adoption of infection control measures among dental practitioners.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study based on a convenient sampling technique was conducted. Dental Practitioners in each subdivision (towns) of the Lahore, Pakistan were approached through 15 dental hygiene students to fill a close ended structured questionnaire. Study was conducted during 1st March-15 March 2005. Chi square test was applied with a significance level of p <0.05.

Results: Four hundred dental practices were visited and response rate of 83.25% was obtained. 62.76% surgeries were found being run by un-qualified dental practitioners and 37.23% by qualified dentists. 94.35% qualified practitioners used gloves as compared to only 28.2% of the un-qualified practitioners and a high percentage of qualified practitioners used gloves for every patients compared to their un-qualified counter parts (85.48% and 14.35%) respectively. 97.5% qualified practitioners and 80.3% of the un-qualified dentists used face masks. 85.1% of un-qualified and 98.3% of the qualified dental practitioners used fresh set of instruments for each patient. Use of sterilization methods including disinfectants, autoclaving of instruments was higher in qualified practitioners. Infection control measures among qualified and non-qualified practitioners were statistically significant. (p= 0.000)

Conclusion: A poor level of infection control practice was observed in dental practices run by un-qualified practitioners. Majority of qualified dentists were observing infection control measures. There is need for further education and training for all the dental practitioners.

KEY WORDS: Dental practitioners, Infection control Measures.

Pak J Med Sci    January - March 2009    Vol. 25 No. 1    126-130

How to cite this article:

Bokhari SAH, Sufia S, Khan AA. Infection control practices among Dental Practitioners of Lahore, Pakistan. Pak J Med Sci 2009;25(1):126-130.

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1. Syed Akhtar Hussain Bokhari, BDS, MCPS
Assistant professor of Community Dentistry,
Margalla Institute of Health Sciences,
Gulraiz III,
Rawalpindi - Pakistan.
2. Shamta Sufia, BDS, MSc
Assistant professor of Community Dentistry,
FMH College of Medicine & Dentistry,
Shadman,
Lahore - Pakistan.
3. Ayyaz Ali Khan, BDS, MSc, PhD
Professor of Community Dentistry,
Riphah International University,
Islamabad - Pakistan.

Correspondence

Dr. Syed Akhtar Hussain Bokhari
22-Rewaz Garden,
Lahore – Pakistan.
E-mail: pdplhr@yahoo.com

* Received for Publication: July 29, 2008
* Revision Received: October 7, 2008
* Second Revision Received: November 3, 2008
* Final Revision Received: November 10, 2008

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