Highlights
- •Serious deficiencies in the infection prevention and control procedures were observed.
- •Inadequate operating conditions for dental healthcare workers.
- •Urgent need to institute improvements in in the Pará state prison system.
Prison populations have higher levels of bloodborne viruses with consequently higher
risks of cross-infection. This study assessed infection prevention and occupational
hazards in prison dental surgeries in the Brazilian state of Pará. Investigations
were undertaken by a single examiner in 11 prison clinics. Manual washing of instruments
with no detergents and dry heat sterilization were the main instrument decontamination
methods used. Most surgeries had insufficient instruments for daily clinical work
requirements. Half of dentists interviewed worked single-handed with no documented
policies or health and safety procedures.
Key Words
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References
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- Agencia Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária. Serviços Odontológicos: Prevenção e Controle de Riscos. Brasília: Ministério da Saúde.2006
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 16, 2016
Footnotes
The authors received no financial support.
Conflicts of Interest: None to report.
Identification
Copyright
© 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
