牙科助理對感染控制之執行與影響因素

An important risk to health in dental practice is cross-infection, affecting both the dental team and patients. The dental assistants has been identified as the member of dental team who undertakes most practical measures to prevent cross-infection. The role of dental assistant is central to infection control. However, the rate of compliance to those guidelines within this particular group is inadequate, even though the development of infection control in Taiwan has been over ten years. From the literature review, the factor affecting the role of dental assistants in cross-infection control in dental practice includes economy, time, formal training, work experience, certification, and knowledge toward infection disease. Formal training, education, and certification are equally essential for dental assistants, to ensure a sound knowledge and understanding of all aspects of infection control, and to allay the stress due to lack of experience. And dentists need to arrange work schedules carefully so as to avoid overburdening dental assistants, to supervise their cross-infection control. In conclusion, for purpose of prevention of cross infection and keeping the safety of dental patients and health dental workers during dental practice, adequate and correct compliance on infection control need to be essential.