Background: Reducing cross-infection in dental prosthesis laboratories requires the implementation of protective measures and knowledge of disinfection protocols. We conducted a survey of dental technicians in Casablanca, with the aim of identifying and assessing infectious risks, as well as decontamination and prevention measures. Material and Methods: To achieve our objective, a descriptive epidemiological survey was carried out among 50 dental technicians working in the city of Casablanca, using an anonymous questionnaire. Results: The results of our study revealed that the use of protective means by dental technicians is low, as only 28% of dental technicians always wear gloves and masks, 26% always wear glasses and only 28% wear professional clothing (overalls), as well as 58% of dental technicians disinfect the work received and 34% of prosthetic laboratories are equipped with an autoclave. A minority of dental technicians are vaccinated against hepatitis B (14%), followed by tuberculosis (16%) and COVID-19 (24%). With regard to communication between dental laboratory technicians and dentists, our study showed that 74% of dental technicians say that dentists disinfect work before sending it out, and only 40% of dentists who notify at-risk patients. Our survey showed that 96% of the prosthetists in our study are aware of the infectious risks of the profession, and 20% attend seminars on cross-infection control. Conclusion: According to our research, most dental technicians employed in Casablanca’s private sector do not use preventive measures against cross-infection, and are unaware of the decontamination protocol.
Cite this paper
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