Infection Control Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Among Undergraduate Dental Students: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Study

Gauri Hyalinge; Nikita Patel; Shreeja Pillai; Sahyadri Pardeshi; Nimish Ghule

doi:10.37841/jidam.2026.v13.i3.001

130

Participants

5

Authors

12

References

📝Abstract

📥 Received: 19 May 2026 ✅ Accepted: 7 July 2026 📤 Published: 27 September 2026

Background – The field of dentistry shows high prevalence of bloodborne and airborne infection transmission. In previous studies a link has been established between the clinical injury to the operator and the knowledge regarding infection control and prevention.

Method – A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was carried out among students working in clinics. It contained both open- and closed-ended questions.

Result – The collected data was statistically analysed. Students were assessed based on KAP (Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices) score.

Conclusion – There is a need to fill the gap between the knowledge of the students and the standard practices of infection control. This can be done by arranging awareness programs and practical workshops before students start with their clinical posting.

Keywords: Infection control Infectious diseases Clinical practices Knowledge

📋How to Cite

Hyalinge G, Patel N, Pillai S, Pardeshi S, Ghule N. Infection control knowledge, attitude, and practices among undergraduate dental students: a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. J Indian Dent Assoc Madras. 2026;13(3):1-7. DOI: 10.37841/jidam.2026.v13.i3.001

Hyalinge, G., Patel, N., Pillai, S., Pardeshi, S., & Ghule, N. (2026). Infection control knowledge, attitude, and practices among undergraduate dental students: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. Journal of Indian Dental Association Madras, 13(3), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.37841/jidam.2026.v13.i3.001

Hyalinge, Gauri, et al. "Infection Control Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Among Undergraduate Dental Students: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Study." Journal of Indian Dental Association Madras, vol. 13, no. 3, 2026, pp. 1–7. DOI: 10.37841/jidam.2026.v13.i3.001.

Hyalinge G, Patel N, Pillai S, Pardeshi S, Ghule N. Infection control knowledge, attitude, and practices among undergraduate dental students: a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. J Indian Dent Assoc Madras. 2026;13(3):1-7. doi:10.37841/jidam.2026.v13.i3.001

Hyalinge, Gauri, Nikita Patel, Shreeja Pillai, Sahyadri Pardeshi, and Nimish Ghule. "Infection Control Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Among Undergraduate Dental Students: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Study." Journal of Indian Dental Association Madras 13, no. 3 (2026): 1–7. https://doi.org/10.37841/jidam.2026.v13.i3.001.

📚References

1
Kalpakchieva N, Dokova K. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding cross-infection control among dental laboratory technicians in Bulgaria: a cross-sectional study. BMC Oral Health. 2026 Jan 30;26(1):374. doi: 10.1186/s12903-026-07762-4. PMID: 41618319; PMCID: PMC12930805.
2
Meisha DE. Comparison of Compliance with Infection Control Practices Among Dental Students in Saudi Arabia Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2021 Aug 29;14:3625-3633. doi: 10.2147/RMHP.S318031. PMID: 34512050; PMCID: PMC8412817.
3
Alharbi G, Shono N, Alballaa L, Aloufi A. Knowledge, attitude and compliance of infection control guidelines among dental faculty members and students in KSU. BMC Oral Health. 2019 Jan 9;19(1):7. doi: 10.1186/s12903-018-0706-0. PMID: 30626370; PMCID: PMC6325736.
4
Oberoi SS, Marya CM, Sharma N, Mohanty V, Marwah M, Oberoi A. Knowledge and attitude of Indian clinical dental students towards the dental treatment of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Int Dent J. 2014 Dec;64(6):324-32. doi: 10.1111/idj.12122. Epub 2014 Aug 21. PMID: 25142533; PMCID: PMC9376402.
5
Harte JA. Standard and transmission-based precautions: an update for dentistry. J Am Dent Assoc. 2010 May;141(5):572-81. doi: 10.14219/jada.archive.2010.0232. PMID: 20436107; PMCID: PMC7093859.
6
Baranga S, Chioran D, Balean O, Dumitrescu R, Popescu R, Jumanca D, Oancea R, Sava-Rosianu R, Bolchis V, Galuscan A. HPV Knowledge, Vaccination Uptake, and Salivary Diagnostics Among Dental Students in Romania. Vaccines (Basel). 2025 Jun 19;13(6):658. doi: 10.3390/vaccines13060658. PMID: 40573989; PMCID: PMC12197720.
7
Oosthuysen J, Potgieter E, Fossey A. Compliance with infection prevention and control in oral health-care facilities: a global perspective. Int Dent J. 2014 Dec;64(6):297-311. doi: 10.1111/idj.12134. Epub 2014 Sep 22. PMID: 25244364; PMCID: PMC9376429.
8
Aljohani Y, Almutadares M, Alfaifi K, El Madhoun M, Albahiti MH, Al-Hazmi N. Uniform-related infection control practices of dental students. Infect Drug Resist. 2017 Apr 24;10:135-142. doi: 10.2147/IDR.S128161. PMID: 28490894; PMCID: PMC5414578.
9
Tabana H, Dudley LD, Knight S, Cameron N, Mahomed H, Goliath C, Eggers R, Wiysonge CS. The acceptability of three vaccine injections given to infants during a single clinic visit in South Africa. BMC Public Health. 2016 Aug 8;16:749. doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3324-2. PMID: 27501859; PMCID: PMC4977687.
10
Yeoh S, Bourdamis Y, Saker A, Marano N, Maundrell L, Ramamurthy P, Sharma D. An Investigation Into Contaminated Waste Composition in a University Dental Clinic: Opportunities for Sustainability in Dentistry. Clin Exp Dent Res. 2024 Dec;10(6):e70015. doi: 10.1002/cre2.70015. PMID: 39470688; PMCID: PMC11520790.
11
Reske KA, Park D, Bach TH, Stewart HB, Vogt LC, Arter OG, Stoeckel D, Steinkamp HM, Liang SY, Durkin MJ, Kwon JH. Assessment of dental health care personnel protocol deviations and self-contamination during personal protective equipment donning and doffing. J Am Dent Assoc. 2022 Nov;153(11):1070-1077.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.adaj.2022.08.004. Epub 2022 Sep 26. PMID: 36175202; PMCID: PMC9511115.
12
Alamri A, ElSharkawy MF, Alafandi D. Occupational Physical Hazards and Safety Practices at Dental Clinics. Eur J Dent. 2023 May;17(2):439-449. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1745769. Epub 2022 Jun 21. PMID: 35728608; PMCID: PMC10329536.

[1] 1
Kalpakchieva N, Dokova K. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding cross-infection control among dental laboratory technicians in Bulgaria: a cross-sectional study. BMC Oral Health. 2026 Jan 30;26(1):374. doi: 10.1186/s12903-026-07762-4. PMID: 41618319; PMCID: PMC12930805.

[2] 2
Meisha DE. Comparison of Compliance with Infection Control Practices Among Dental Students in Saudi Arabia Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2021 Aug 29;14:3625-3633. doi: 10.2147/RMHP.S318031. PMID: 34512050; PMCID: PMC8412817.

[3] 3
Alharbi G, Shono N, Alballaa L, Aloufi A. Knowledge, attitude and compliance of infection control guidelines among dental faculty members and students in KSU. BMC Oral Health. 2019 Jan 9;19(1):7. doi: 10.1186/s12903-018-0706-0. PMID: 30626370; PMCID: PMC6325736.

[4] 4
Oberoi SS, Marya CM, Sharma N, Mohanty V, Marwah M, Oberoi A. Knowledge and attitude of Indian clinical dental students towards the dental treatment of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Int Dent J. 2014 Dec;64(6):324-32. doi: 10.1111/idj.12122. Epub 2014 Aug 21. PMID: 25142533; PMCID: PMC9376402.

[5] 5
Harte JA. Standard and transmission-based precautions: an update for dentistry. J Am Dent Assoc. 2010 May;141(5):572-81. doi: 10.14219/jada.archive.2010.0232. PMID: 20436107; PMCID: PMC7093859.

[6] 6
Baranga S, Chioran D, Balean O, Dumitrescu R, Popescu R, Jumanca D, Oancea R, Sava-Rosianu R, Bolchis V, Galuscan A. HPV Knowledge, Vaccination Uptake, and Salivary Diagnostics Among Dental Students in Romania. Vaccines (Basel). 2025 Jun 19;13(6):658. doi: 10.3390/vaccines13060658. PMID: 40573989; PMCID: PMC12197720.

[7] 7
Oosthuysen J, Potgieter E, Fossey A. Compliance with infection prevention and control in oral health-care facilities: a global perspective. Int Dent J. 2014 Dec;64(6):297-311. doi: 10.1111/idj.12134. Epub 2014 Sep 22. PMID: 25244364; PMCID: PMC9376429.

[8] 8
Aljohani Y, Almutadares M, Alfaifi K, El Madhoun M, Albahiti MH, Al-Hazmi N. Uniform-related infection control practices of dental students. Infect Drug Resist. 2017 Apr 24;10:135-142. doi: 10.2147/IDR.S128161. PMID: 28490894; PMCID: PMC5414578.

[9] 9
Tabana H, Dudley LD, Knight S, Cameron N, Mahomed H, Goliath C, Eggers R, Wiysonge CS. The acceptability of three vaccine injections given to infants during a single clinic visit in South Africa. BMC Public Health. 2016 Aug 8;16:749. doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3324-2. PMID: 27501859; PMCID: PMC4977687.

[10] 10
Yeoh S, Bourdamis Y, Saker A, Marano N, Maundrell L, Ramamurthy P, Sharma D. An Investigation Into Contaminated Waste Composition in a University Dental Clinic: Opportunities for Sustainability in Dentistry. Clin Exp Dent Res. 2024 Dec;10(6):e70015. doi: 10.1002/cre2.70015. PMID: 39470688; PMCID: PMC11520790.

[11] 11
Reske KA, Park D, Bach TH, Stewart HB, Vogt LC, Arter OG, Stoeckel D, Steinkamp HM, Liang SY, Durkin MJ, Kwon JH. Assessment of dental health care personnel protocol deviations and self-contamination during personal protective equipment donning and doffing. J Am Dent Assoc. 2022 Nov;153(11):1070-1077.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.adaj.2022.08.004. Epub 2022 Sep 26. PMID: 36175202; PMCID: PMC9511115.

[12] 12
Alamri A, ElSharkawy MF, Alafandi D. Occupational Physical Hazards and Safety Practices at Dental Clinics. Eur J Dent. 2023 May;17(2):439-449. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1745769. Epub 2022 Jun 21. PMID: 35728608; PMCID: PMC10329536.