Abstract
A 33 item survey was mailed to all members who were authorized as the specialized pediatric dentists by the Japanese Society of Pediatric Dentistry. A total of 933 (male: 643, female: 290) surveys were distributed, and 377 male (58.6%),161 female (55.5%), a total 540 (57.9%) returned via mail from November 1992 to January 1993.
The results of the survey were as follows.
1) On the use of gloves,32.8% used them with all patients,55% occasionally used them and 11.7% never used them.
2) On the use of masks,56.3% used them with all patients,30.6% occasionally used them and 12.8% never used them.
3) On the use of glasses or goggles for the dentists who do not wear glasses in daily life,42.6% wore them with all patients,30.5% occasionally wore them and 20.6% never wore them.
4) On the use of surgical caps,10% wore them with all patients,13% occasionally wore them and 75.4% never wore them.
5) The percentage of the dentists who changed aprons between patients was 30.9%.
6) On the use of the tapes and covers for the switches of the light and dental unit,1.3% used them with all patients,16.3% occasionally used them and 80.9%never used them.
7) On the sterilization or disinfection of handpieces,25.2% used autoclave,12.2% used ethylene oxide and 78.2% wiped them with an alcohol cotton.
8) The percentage of the dentists who sterilized and changed all handpieces between patients was 13%.
9) On the disinfection of dental impressions,6.9% disinfected all impressions,31.3 % occasionally disinfected them and 60% never disinfected them.
10) The percentage of the dentists who disinfected dental chairs and exposed surfaces between patients was 16.5%.
