Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids among dental personnel in a Chinese dental hospital.

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of occupational exposure (OE) occurring to dentists, dental nurses and senior dental students in a Chinese dental hospital and to assess associated factors with these exposures. METHODS Data were collected through anonymous questionnaires, which were distributed to dentists, nurses, and senior dental students. RESULTS All 205 dental personnel who voluntarily participated in the survey completed the questionnaire. Up to 71.2% of respondents experienced at least one OE to blood and body fluids (BBF) one year prior to this study. Dentists had a significantly higher incidence of OE than nurses (82.6% verse 60.8%), and a higher incidence of percutaneous injury than students (63.8% versus 41.7%). Sixty-seven percent of exposed dental personnel did not report the incidents and only 4.1% underwent postexposure blood tests. Although 97.6% of respondents wore gloves, more than half the subjects did not use protective goggles or masks during daily dental practice. CONCLUSION There was a high level of OE and a significant incidence of underreporting among Chinese dental personnel, particularly in dentists. Inadequate use of personal protective equipment and ignorance about postexposure management were of great concern.