Abstract:
Background: Hepatitis B and C viruses are extremely infectious and significant work-related hazard for health care workers. The dental practices mostly include direct exposure to body fluids of patients and contact with instruments and material infected with hepatitis B and C viruses.
Aim: To evaluate the knowledge and practices of dental surgeons regarding hepatitis B and C working in the private clinics.
Method: It was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out during January, 2017 among 120 dental
surgeons of Multan. Data was collected through questionnaire, which was entered in SPSS ver 20.0.
Results: Out of 120 dental surgeons, 90% were males and 75.8% were above 30 years old. Among
them, 100.0% had adequate knowledge regarding hepatitis B and C transmission. Only 39.2% dental
surgeon used disposable gloves and syringes for safety purposes and majority (75.8%) attended
workshops regarding management of hepatitis B and C. 100% dental surgeons imparted knowledge
about adequate sterilization of instruments to their staff.
Conclusion: Among dental surgeons, knowledge about hepatitis B & C and its transmission was
satisfactory. Dental surgeons were fully awareness regarding diagnosis procedure, sterilization and
safety precautions against hepatitis B and C. Further effectors are required to create awareness
among dental surgeons regarding WHO guidelines of hepatitis B and C management.
