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


METHODS



METHODS
Five hundred dental surgeons currently registered with the General Dental Council of the UK.


METHODS
Structured postal questionnaire.


METHODS
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.
Bagg
J
J
Trust Audit Office, Glasgow Dental Hospital School. j.bagg@dental.gla.ac.uk
Sweeney
C P
CP
Roy
K M
KM
Sharp
T
T
Smith
A
A
D000328:Adult; D007562:Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D006801:Humans; D019552:Infection Control, Dental / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D008875:Middle Aged; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists'; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013242:Sterilization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom