Knowledge and attitudes of students of the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Cuenca about the sterilization of dental handpieces

Abstract

Introduction: Dentistry is a profession that, being exposed to great biological risk, requires strict compliance not only with biosafety standards but also with the disinfection and sterilization processes of the instruments used in clinical practice, including dental handpieces. Objective: To determine the attitude and level of knowledge about the disinfection and sterilization of handpieces, by the students of the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Cuenca. Materials and Methods: The instrument used was a Google Forms questionnaire, based on the Likert scale, which was applied to fourth- and fifth-year students of the university establishment. Results: 19.2% of the students mentioned that they strongly disagreed with having received training, which is why their degree of knowledge is low, and 53.3% presented a positive attitude. Conclusion: The students have not received training on the disinfection and sterilization processes of the handpieces; however, their attitude is positive.\