title: Determinants of Iranian dentists' behaviour regarding infection control.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the determinants of Iranian dentists' behaviour regarding infection control (IC).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional questionnaire survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Iranian general dental practitioners (GDP) participating in a national dental congress.
  
  
  METHODS
  The GDPs filled in a self-administered questionnaire containing questions regarding their attitudes towards and their behaviour on several aspects of IC. Background factors included GDP's year of birth, gender, and work-related factors. Statistical evaluation employed the Chi-square test, Cronbach alpha, and regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 479 GDPs returned the questionnaire. Their mean age was 38.6years (SD=9.4) and 53% were men. The vast majority of the GDPs had positive attitudes towards the inquired after IC criteria with no statistical difference based on the GDP's background characteristics. Of all respondents, >70% reported that they inform the laboratory about the infection status of the sent items, disinfect impressions before sending to the laboratory, and wash patients' mouths before working with high-speed or ultrasonic devices. Adherence to all the studied IC criteria was reported by 10% of the respondents; more frequently by younger GDPs and those with fewer experience years (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Greater emphasis on infection control programmes in dentists' education is called for especially in continuing education.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Oral Health, Dental faculty, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad. hadi.ghasemi@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Hadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ghasemi
authors.forename: Fariborz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bayat
authors.forename: Behzad
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hooshmand
authors.forename: Ziba
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Maleki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D019552:Infection Control, Dental; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires