Assessment of Knowledge in Adherence to Infection Control During Radiographic Procedures Among Dental Students and Dental Practitioners
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Infection control in oral radiology is essential for preventing cross-contamination, but compliance differs among dental professionals. This study assessed knowledge and adherence to infection-control measures during radiographic procedures among dental students and practitioners. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among 392 participants (students and practitioners). The validated tool covered domains of hand hygiene, personal protective equipment (PPE), protective over gloves, sterilization, and use of plastic barriers. Descriptive statistics summarized practices. Pearsons χ2 tested between-group differences, and binary logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of adherence. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Only 39.0% of participants demonstrated adequate adherence (≥70% of practices followed). Adequacy was slightly higher among students (39.8%) than among practitioners (36.6%). Logistic regression showed that students had significantly higher odds of PPE use (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.40-2.11), sterilization of devices (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.32-1.98), and plastic barrier use (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.34-2.02). No significant differences were found between hand hygiene and over-glove use. Both students and practitioners demonstrated only moderate adherence to infection-control practices in radiology, with notable gaps in pre-glove hand hygiene and protective over-glove use. To strengthen consistent infection-control measures, targeted training for practitioners and curriculum reinforcement for students are recommended.
DOI: 10.15517/eg35ef88
Institution: Vinayaka Missions University
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7124138461