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Dental practitioner risk, knowledge and practice with regard to the hepatitis B vaccination in South Africa
1Department of Community Oral Health, Faculty of Dentistry, University of the Western Cape, South Africa.
Objectives:
To determine dental practitioner risk, knowledge and practice with regard to hepatitis B vaccination in South Africa.
Design:
Cross-sectional, descriptive study.
Subjects:
Dental students qualifying from the University of the Western Cape dental school between 1985 and 1995 (n = 173).
Methods:
A telephonic survey, using a structured questionnaire.
Main Outcome Measures:
Knowledge and compliance with hepatitis B vaccination.
Results:
The present study shows that (i) individuals are not maintaining HBV protection and (ii) individuals are at risk.
Conclusions:
Guidelines need to be developed to ensure that the entire dental team is not only vaccinated against HBV, but that post-vaccination testing and follow-up for booster vaccination is strictly adhered to.