Occupational percutaneous injuries and exposures in a dental teaching environment: A 10-year report

A 19-Year Study of Dental Needlestick and Sharps Injuries in Japan

BACKGROUND

Needlestick and sharps injuries (NSIs) are serious problems for dental health care workers (DHCWs) because they are at risk for occupational blood-borne infections. In this study, risk factors for NSIs in DHCWs at Tohoku University Hospital (TUH) in Japan over 19 years were analysed.

METHODS

NSI data of DHCWs at TUH from April 2002 to March 2020 were collected from the Exposure Prevention Information Network (EPINet) and statistically analysed.

RESULTS

A total of 195 NSIs occurred during the 19-year study period. Approximately 58.5% of NSIs occurred in DHCWs with less than 5 years of experience. Injection needles were the most frequent cause of NSIs (19.0%) followed by suture needles (13.3%) and ultrasonic scaler chips (12.8%). Needle injuries occurred mainly on the left hand, whereas ultrasonic scaler chip and bur injuries occurred on the right hand and other body parts whilst DHCWs were placing the instruments back on the dental unit hanging holder without removing the sharps. NSIs from other instruments primarily occurred on both hands and foot insteps during cleanup. No case of occupational blood-borne infection caused by NSIs was observed during the study period at TUH.

CONCLUSIONS

NSIs occurred in DHCWs with less experience, and there were associations between the instruments, timing of use, and NSI site. EPINet was considered a valuable tool for monitoring NSIs in order to develop future strategies for minimising NSIs.

Global prevalence, risk factors and reporting practice of needlestick and sharps injuries among dental students: A systematic review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Dental students are vulnerable to needlestick injuries (NSI) due to their inadequate training. However, the global prevalence of NSI among dental students is unknown.

AIM

To determine the pooled prevalence among dental students, epidemiological profile, and risk factors for NSI.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. The review protocol was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD 42022312778). Eligible studies were identified from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, OVID, and EBSCO databases. A meta-analysis with a random effects model was performed to estimate the pooled prevalence, and meta-regression was conducted to explore heterogeneity among studies.

FINDINGS

A total of 25 studies from 15 countries met the inclusion criteria. The estimated pooled prevalence of NSI among dental students was 44% (95% CI: 38-51%). Local anesthesia, tooth cleaning or scaling, and waste disposal were associated with highest risk for NSI. Most studies observed under-reporting of NSI. Dental students had inadequate knowledge regarding post-exposure management.

CONCLUSION

Dental students had a high prevalence and low reporting rate of NSI exposure. Inadequate knowledge might increase the probability of NSI exposure.