A Five-year Investigative Report on Education of Infection Control and Occupational Exposure Surveillance in 17 Japanese Private Dental Schools

Abstract

 Abstract We investigated the annual number of lecture hours on infection control among students, clinical trainees, clinical residents, and hospital staff and surveyed the occupational exposure (needlestick and cut injuries, and exposure to blood and body fluids) in 17 Japanese private dental schools from April 2012 to March 2017.

 As a result, the annual number of lecture hours on infection control among all dental personnel showed no statistically significant difference in all positions from fiscal years 2012 to 2016. Meanwhile, the number of cases of occupational exposure in 17 dental colleges and universities declined. By occupational category, the number of cases of occupational exposure among clinical trainees declined ; and those among clinical residents and hospital staff including dentists, dental hygienists, nurses, and others showed no notable changes. A negative correlation between the annual number of lecture hours on infection control and the number of cases of occupational exposure to blood and body fluids among clinical trainees was found (ρ=−0.40).

 Based on these results, we suggest the necessity of sharing information and setting an appropriate annual number of lecture hours on infection control in 17 dental colleges and universities through the Council of Infection Control in Japanese private dental school hospitals. Moreover, it is necessary to investigate the methodologies, contents, and learning levels of infection control measures and survey details of occupational exposure, such as their cause levels of injuries, and aftercare.