Objectives: To survey the infection control procedures used by dental practitioners in Khartoum, Sudan.
Methods: Questionnaires were distributed to150 randomly sampled dentists practising in Khartoum state. Each questionnaire comprised 17 questions about basic infection control procedures.
Results: A 100% response rate to the questionnaire showed that 92% of dentists routinely wore gloves when treating patients, 50% face masks, 61% a gown and 14.7% protective eye wear. Furthermore 52% of the practitioners had been immunised against Hepatitis B. The majority of practitioners (72%) used dry heat as their method of instrument sterilisation, 22% used an autoclave, 2% used boiling water and the remainder used chemical sterilisation. Safe disposal of clinical waste was undertaken by only 23% of dentists although 47% of practitioners stored sharp items in closed containers. All respondents used disposable dental needles, but only a few used other disposable items. There was a significant difference in the implementation of cross infection control procedures between salaried and private dental practitioners, especially with regard to handpiece sterilisation, use of disposables, the wearing of face masks and the availability of additional sets of instruments.
Conclusion: There is a clear need to improve the existing situation particularly with regard to immunisation of dentists against Hepatitis B, the safe disposal of clinical waste and instrument sterilisation in Khartoum.