Incidence of student exposures to blood and body fluids and postexposure management protocols in dental hygiene programs

The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of occupational exposures to blood or body fluids reported in dental hygiene students from 1996 to 1998 as well as postexposure management protocols used in dental hygiene programs.

A 23-item, self-designed questionnaire was sent to the 214 dental hygiene programs that were accredited in 1996. Sixty-seven percent (143) of the sample completed the questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Mann Whitney-U test, chi-square, and the Freedman test.

Over the three-year evaluation period, 687 total occupational exposures were reported, with dental hygiene schools averaging less than 1.5 exposures per year. The overall exposure rate was 1.8 per 100 first year students and 5.1 per 100 second year students, with second year students experiencing a significantly greater number of exposures than first year students (P = .000). The vast majority (78%) of the exposures occurred as a result of an instrument puncture. In regards to postexposure management and protocols, more than one-fourth of the respondents reported that they did not have a policy for immediate postexposure management. The majority of the schools do not report on the amount of fluid or material involved, whether the source material contained HIV, depth of the injury, estimated volume of material involved, condition of skin, or duration of contact.

Results of this study reveal that dental hygiene students are at a relatively low risk for occupational exposures to blood and body fluids, although the risk does increase as they progress from the first to second year. Additionally, many schools of dental hygiene should review current protocols for postexposure management and reporting in order to ensure they are complying with current standards for the management of occupational exposures.