Cross infection control measures and the treatment of patients at risk of Creutzfeldt Jakob disease in UK general dental practice

Bagg, J. , Sweeney, C.P., Roy, K., Sharp, T. and Smith, A. (2001) Cross infection control measures and the treatment of patients at risk of Creutzfeldt Jakob disease in UK general dental practice. British Dental Journal, 191(2), pp. 87-90. (doi: 10.1038/sj.bdj.4801104)

Abstract

AIMS: To determine the suitability of key infection control measures currently employed in UK dental practice for delivery of dental care to patients at risk of prion diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Subjects: Five hundred dental surgeons currently registered with the General Dental Council of the UK. Data collection: Structured postal questionnaire. Analysis: Frequencies, cross-tabulations and chi-squared analysis. RESULTS: The valid response rate to the questionnaire was 69%. 33% of practices had no policy on general disinfection and sterilisation procedures. Only 10 of the 327 responding practices (3%) possessed a vacuum autoclave. 49% of dentists reported using the BDA medical history form but less than 25% asked the specific questions recommended by the BDA to identify patients at risk of iatrogenic or familial CJD. However, 63% of practitioners would refer such patients, if identified, to a secondary care facility. Of the 107 practitioners who were prepared to provide dental treatment, 75 (70%) would do so using routine infection control procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the dental practices surveyed were not actively seeking to identify patients at risk of prion diseases. In many cases, recommended procedures for providing safe dental care for such patients were not in place.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Bagg, Professor Jeremy and Roy, Dr Kirsty
• Authors: Bagg, J., Sweeney, C.P., Roy, K., Sharp, T., and Smith, A.
• Subjects: R Medicine > RK Dentistry; R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences
• Journal Name: British Dental Journal
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group for the British Dental Association
• ISSN: 0007-0610
• Copyright Holders: © Copyright British Dental Journal
• First Published: First published in the British Dental Journal 191(2):87-90
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher