Abstract
Objectives : This study is designed to identify the need for an efficient infection control plan in the curriculum of Dept. of Dental Hygiene and encourage dental hygienists to be more attentive to infection control by analyzing their personal protective measures, hand-washing frequency and other factors relating to infection control. Methods : A survey was conducted of 471 dental hygienists in general hospitals, dental clinics and dental hospitals in City of Busan and Gyeongsangnam-do from December 20, 2009 to February 21, 2010. Results : 1. Among those who worked for more than 11 years, personal protection (3.79) and hand-washing frequency (3.90) factors were rated high (p<0.05). 2. When surveyed by workplace, personal protection was high in general hospitals (3.75) while hand-washing frequency was high in dental clinics (3.74). 3. Among those who received infection control education more than three times, personal protection (4.07) and hand-washing frequency (3.80) were high (p<0.05). 4. Personal protection-related factors were general hospital workers, necessity of infection control education and awareness on infectious disease (p<0.05), while factors associated with hand-washing frequency were number of patients per day, whether or not infection control-related class is given at school, necessity of infection control education and awareness on infectious disease (p<0.05). Conclusions : To enhance awareness of infection control, it may be necessary to addan infection control-related class to the school curriculum and provide the necessity of conducting continuous and systematic infection control education through newly entering staff training and education of dental practitioners.
