We investigated the positive detection rates for hepatitis B surface antigens (HBsAg) and hepatitis C (HCV) antibodies as well as the elevation of AST and ALT in patients who were to undergo oral surgery. Our results revealed positive rates of 1.1% and 1.5% for HBsAgs and HCV antibodies, respectively. Patients older than 40 years had a higher proportion of positive HBsAg or HCV antibody results than did patients younger than 40 years. The rate of AST and ALT elevation was 7.3%. There were some missing data on viral infection in patient referral documents or interview sheets, suggesting a perception gap existed with respect to the seriousness of viral hepatitis among dental doctors and patients. These findings suggest that designating a hepatitis medical care coordinator might help not only in understanding patients' infection status but also in collaborating with hepatologists in the field of oral surgery.
