[Infection control and compliance with national recommendations among dentists in Frankfurt/M, Germany: results of a pilot project, 2005].
Recommendations for prevention of infection in dentistry have been published in many countries and in Germany as well. In a pilot project in collaboration with the Public Health Service of the City of Frankfurt and the chamber of dentists in Hesse, compliance with these recommendations was studied in dental practices in Frankfurt/M in 2005. After being informed about the recommendations, more than 50% of the 560 Frankfurt dentists agreed to participate in this project, and 127 of these practitioners were visited by experts of the dentist chamber. Hygienic standards in the practices were examined using a checklist. A proper hygiene schedule was observed in 84% of the practices. Facilities for hand hygiene such as dispensers for soap, disinfectant and towels were available in 98, 93 and 92% of the practices, and personal protective equipment such as gloves, masks, eye wear and gowns was found in 98, 100, 98 and 88% of the practices, respectively. Reprocessing of dental instruments was done either manually (52%), manually in combination with ultrasonic cleaning (48%) or by using special reprocessing machines (32%). Steam sterilization was used in all practices; in some practices gravity displacement sterilizers were used (14%), whereas in most of the practices (61%) a high-speed prevacuum sterilizer was available -- especially in dental surgeon practices (77%). Monitoring and documentation of the sterilization process was done automatically (33%) or by hand (55%). In 80% of the practices, pressure, temperature, time and person responsible were documented. Documents of routine maintenance and regular biological testing of the sterilizers could be shown in 93 and 84% of the practices. The Frankfurt pilot project based on information and advice in combination with control has proven to be successful in the majority of practices enrolled. Encouraged by this experience, the chamber of dentists wants to implement this project all over the state of Hesse. The intention is to inform and to visit all 4,500 dental practices in agreement with the local public health services, which in turn could reduce their own control visits in dental practices. Thus, hygiene control visits of the public health services could focus on other practices such as ambulatory surgery or endoscopy.
Heudorf
U
U
Abteilung Medizinische Dienste und Hygiene, Stadtgesundheitsamt Frankfurt am Main, Braubachstrasse 18-22, 60311 Frankfurt/M. ursel.heudorf@stadt-frankfurt.de
Dehler
A
A
Klenner
W
W
Exner
M
M
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003729:Dental Care / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006920:Hygiene / Q000592:standards; D019552:Infection Control, Dental / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D013242:Sterilization / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data