AIDS and hepatitis: a problem for the dental team

The different types of viral hepatitis are briefly reviewed in relation to transmission during dental treatment, hepatitis B remaining the greatest threat to the dental team which is not immunised. The significance of hepatitis C for the dental profession is as yet undetermined. Transmission of HIV in the dental practice may occur from patient to dentist, from patient to patient and from dentist to patient. Epidemiological data show that none of these routes seems to be common. To date only five patients have been infected with HIV in a dental practice, the mode of transmission of which is unknown. In order to minimise the risk the dental profession is advised to strongly adhere to the recommendations for preventing HIV and hepatitis virus infection in health-care settings. Between patients all dental instruments should be submitted to sterilisation such as steam autoclaving.