Issues in the dental care management of patients with bloodborne infectious diseases: an opinion survey of dental school seniors

Abstract

This study revealed some significant findings concerning the views of dental school seniors. Through a series of questions, we determined the opinions that seniors had about treating patients with bloodborne infections and the way they regarded their professional responsibility to provide care to these patients. We were able to identify that the majority of seniors had knowingly treated patients with one of these diseases, and believed that they had a professional obligation to do so. The study showed that these future professionals were aware of the risks related to disease transmission and they had real concerns about those risks; nevertheless, they were prepared to accept their professional obligation to provide care to these individuals. More than half of the survey population was fearful of treating patients with these diseases, and over half indicated that they would not treat these patients given the choice. This fear was compounded by their presumption that other patients would not want to be treated by a dentist who provides care to HBV/HIV patients, and by the presumption of increased cost of infection control. More than three fourths of these dental seniors agreed that treatment of infected patients would place them at higher risk. Nevertheless, in the face of this perceived danger, 62 percent indicated that they were willing to treat these patients, 79 percent said that they were capable of treating them, and 76 percent acknowledged the responsibility of the profession to treat. Another finding of note involves the treatment of infected patients and the effect that treatment experience had on the seniors' attitudes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Predicting Dentist’s Willingness to Treat Hiv Infected Patients – A Questionnaire Based Study.

“…The level of willingness found in this survey was high when compared to previous reports of various groups' willingness to treat: 63.3 percent of Nigerian preclinical students, [15] 63.6 percent [16] and 78.4 percent [17]of Nigerian dentists, 62 percent of U.S. dental school seniors, [18] and is lesser than 84.3 percent of final year dental students in the United Kingdom [19], and 83 percent of U.S. dental students. [20] [21] .Willingness to treat is thought to be the most significant predictor of actual treatment of an HIV-positive patient.…”

Knowledge and attitude of Indian clinical dental students towards the dental treatment of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS)

“…(49%), Azodo et al . (in which 58.8% expressed willingness to treat HIV positive individuals) and Solomon et al . (62%) among dental school seniors in the USA, but lower in comparison with the studies conducted by Utomi et al .…”

Treating Patients with HIV and Hepatitis B and C Infections: Croatian Dental Students’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Risk Perceptions

“…This is worrisome because it is expected that senior students should have greater knowledge and self‐confidence toward the treatment of these patients. Solomon et al17 reported that 80 percent of final‐year dental students in their study considered themselves competent to provide dental treatment to patients with HIV/AIDS. This additionally emphasizes the need for theoretical and practical education of dental students on this topic.…”