ABSTRACT
Purpose: To determine the prevalence and types of percutaneous exposure incidents (PEIs) among staff and students at a dental school, compare the prevalence of PEIs sustained in pediatric dentistry with other specialties, and evaluate the compliance to post-exposure protocols.
Methods: First, a retrospective data analysis of PEIs between January 2012 and December 2017 was done. Following that, a cross-sectional study of dental students, dentists, and dental clinical assistants (DCA), using a self-administered questionnaire to collect information regarding PEIs, was conducted between January 2016 and December 2017; post-exposure management data was also collected.
Results: From the archival data, 94 PEIs were recorded, with most exposures occurring among dental students (62.8 percent), followed by dentists (12.3 percent) and DCAs (10.6 percent). Needlesticks (experienced by 35.1 percent) were the most common type of injury. Only three injuries were during a pediatric dental procedure. For the cross-sectional study, there were 223 participants, with 17.5 percent reporting a PEI. The most common type, site, and cause of PEIs were bur use, fingers, and a lapse in concentration, respectively. Almost 40 percent of PEIs were not reported, with the most common reason being "it was only minor".
Conclusion: PEIs are not more likely to occur in pediatric dentistry compared to other disciplines. Improvements are required in the compliance of PEI postexposure management.
