Factors Affecting Compliance of Infection Control Measures among Dental Radiographers.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the level of dental radiographers' compliance with infection control measures and to evaluate the factors affecting their compliance. METHODS: The study included 175 dental radiographers. Compliance with infection control was evaluated with a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 33 questions related to vaccination, hand hygiene (HH), personal protective equipment (PPE), disinfection and sterilization, and use of surface barriers. Pearson's chi-square test was used to compare compliance between subgroups of radiographers. RESULTS: 64.6% of participants were females, and 62.9% was younger than 30 years. 13.0% of the sample population had >10 years of experience and 28.0% take radiographs for >20 patients/day. 66.9% of participants wash their hands before/after taking radiographs. 26.3% of participants had vaccination against hepatitis B, tetanus, and tuberculosis. 12.6% fully use PPE, 10.9% perform complete disinfection and sterilization, and 16.0% apply all kinds of surfaces barriers. Vaccination was significantly affected by age, gender, and practice type. HH was affected by years of experience and number of patients radiographed per day. PPE was influenced by number of hours worked per week and patients radiographed daily. Disinfection and sterilization was affected by practice type and years of experience. The use of surface barriers was affected by age, practice type, and number of patients radiographed/day. CONCLUSIONS: The current study indicated poor compliance with infection control practices among dental radiographers. We recommend continuing educational programs and training courses to increase dental radiographers' awareness of local and international infection control guidelines and to enhance their implementation of these guidelines.

Prevalence, social acceptance, and awareness of waterpipe smoking among dental university students: a cross sectional survey conducted in Jordan.

BACKGROUND: Waterpipe tobacco smoking is increasing in popularity especially among young adults. This spread could be related to limited knowledge of the negative health effects of waterpipe smoking. In this study, prevalence, social acceptance, and awareness of waterpipe smoking were examined among dental university students. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional survey study, where a self-administered questionnaire was completed by a sample of dental university students in Jordan. RESULTS: Students (n=547) reported current tobacco use of 54.3% for males versus 11.1% for females (P<0.005). Among current smokers, 3.5% used only cigarettes (22.0% males, 2.3% females), 12.6% used only waterpipe (36.6% males, 88.6% females), and 6.9% used both (41.5% males, 9.1% females). Approximately, 70% of males and 42.5% of females who used waterpipe reported smoking mostly at a café. Nearly half of the females reported that they smoke at home in the presence of parents. Among participants, 33.3% of males and 62.5% of females reported indifferent parents' reaction regarding their waterpipe smoking. Approximately one third of students agreed with the statement that waterpipe smoking is less harmful to oral health than cigarette smoking. About 50-70% of students agreed that waterpipe smoking causes halitosis, delays wound healing time, is associated with dental implant failure, and increases the risk of dental decay. CONCLUSIONS: In this sample, waterpipe tobacco smoking was more common than cigarette smoking among dental students, especially females. This could be an implication of social acceptance of waterpipe leading to its predominance, and thus, the gradual replacement of cigarette smoking with waterpipe smoking. Additionally, dental students' awareness about the harms of waterpipe is not optimal, and steps are needed to ensure providing such knowledge to students.

Factors influencing dental care access in Jordanian adults.

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study are to assess the influences of demographic and personal factors on Jordanian adults' abilities to use dental services and the barriers to regular attendance. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 650 Jordanian adults attending King Abdullah University Hospital (KAUH) (n = 200), Jordan University of Science and Technology-Dental Health Teaching Center (JUST-DHTC) (n = 150), Yarmouk University Health Clinics (YUHC) (n = 150), and United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) clinics (n = 150). 614 questionnaires were completed. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze data, generate descriptive statistics and perform multiple logistic regressions. The level of significance was set at α = 0.05. RESULTS: Approximately 93% of participants were dental services users. 89% were irregular users, while only 11% were regular users. The main reasons given for not visiting dental offices regularly were lack of time (39.2%), cost of treatment (26.9%), treatment not needed (22.2%), and fear of dentists (15.1%). Only 6.7% of respondents stated that they had never visited a dentist, while more than half (56.1%) reported the lack of need for dental treatment as a major reason for not using dental services. Restorative therapy was the most frequently sought treatment (61.6%), while periodontal treatment was the least frequently sought (14.1%). Although respondents who were married and/or those having missing teeth were significantly more likely to use dental services, respondents who were single were more likely to be regular attendees. CONCLUSION: The overwhelming majority of adults were irregular attendees. Time and cost constraints, lack of need for treatment, and fear of dentists were reported as major barriers to regular attendance. The study findings call for planning of educational and promotional programs to increase Jordanians' awareness of and regular use of available dental services to maintain health, which will be both socially and economically beneficial.