Evaluation of the Compliance of Orthodontists to Infection Control Procedures in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: Orthodontists do not perform surgical procedures, nevertheless they are obliged to practice appropriate sterilization techniques to prevent cross-infection. This is also important from an ethical and legal point of view. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the compliance of orthodontists to infection control procedures in Turkey. METHODS: A questionnaire with 36 items was delivered by e-mail to a total of 1152 orthodontists/residents between October 2014 and March 2015 by the Turkish Orthodontic Society. Various data from surveys were analyzed using the IBM SPSS statistics 22 software. RESULTS: The questionnaire was completed by 130 (11.28%) respondents. 95.4% of the orthodontists were immunized against hepatitis B. The usage rates of type B autoclave, non-type B autoclave, and dry-heat sterilizer were 40%, 17.7%, and 16.9%, respectively. A total of 24.6% of the orthodontists used disinfectant solutions for the sterilization of hand instruments and pliers; the rate of using disinfectants for the sterilization of dental handpieces was found to be higher (56.9%). CONCLUSION: The infection control procedures in the field of orthodontics must be improved in Turkey. Training on compliance with the infection control principles should be included in education programs, and these programs should be repeated on a regular basis.

Eye-related trauma and infection in dentistry.

Despite numerous technological and medical developments achieved in recent years, a significant amount of occupational health problems still exist in modern dentistry. The risk of eye injury is mostly attributed to the use of high-speed hand pieces and ultrasonic devices. A dental clinic may be the source of eye-related infection and injury because of mechanical, chemical, microbiological and electromagnetic irritants. Accidents may cause facial injuries that involve eyes of the clinicians, patients as well as dental assistants. Eye injuries can vary from mild irritation to blindness. The use of eye protection tools, such as protective goggles and visors, reduces the risk of eye damage or complete loss of vision while working with dangerous and floating materials. Therefore, all precautions should be taken, even when performing common procedures for which the risk expectancy is relatively low. Clinicians should be aware that they are also responsible for providing adequate protection for their assistants and patients, as well as themselves.