KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE ON DISINFECTION OF DENTAL IMPRESSIONS AMONG DENTISTS AND DENTAL TECHNICIANS

Background: Dental impressions are a common source for transmission of infection between dental clinics and dental labs. Dental impressions can be cross-contaminated by patient’s saliva and blood, which then cross-infect the dental casts poured from the impressions. Aim of the study: To evaluate the current practices of disinfection of dental impressions and their protocols and to assess the knowledge of cross-infection control among dentists and dental technicians. Materials & Methods: A self‑administered questionnaire will be distributed to dentists and dental technicians about their practices of disinfection for dental impressions. , the questionnaire consists of two separated parts, one is concerned with dentists and the other with dental technicians. Data were collected from forty dentists and twenty dental laboratory technicians. Results: According to our findings, only 32.5% of dentists had an infection control by mean of disinfection of impressions, 67.5% of them were not care about disinfection of impressions. In the other hand, 70% of respondent’s dental technicians follow a protocols of impressions disinfection, the other 30% were not interested in disinfection of impressions or casts. Conclusion: Dentists practices in impression disinfection was not satisfactory, therefore, education programs about impression disinfection are needed. Unlike dentists, dental technicians had a better knowledge and practice about disinfection of dental impressions.