Occupational Exposure to Infectious Biological Material among Dental Students

Objective: This qualitative study aimed to investigate the experienced feelings among dental students of a public university in Brazil after the occurrence of an occupational exposure to potentially infectious biological material. It was also investigated the types of injuries that undergraduates believe are important to notify, and what has changed in their working practices after the occurrence of such injury. Method: A convenience sample was selected among undergraduates who had suffered occupational injury at Araraquara School of Dentistry – FOAr/ UNESP, Sao Paulo State, Brazil. Interviews were conducted through a script of open questions, and each testimony was recorded in a voice recorder. Speeches were transcribed and analyzed with the help of QUALI-QUANTISOFT^® software, which allows the Analysis of the Collective Speeches (Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo – DSC, Lefèvre & Lefèvre, Faculdade de Saúde Pública da USP). Three methodological figures were obtained: central ideas, key-expressions and the DSC itself. Result: Forgetfulness, negligence, working alone, and failure to use personal protective equipment were the main reasons related with the occupational exposures. With respect to the feelings experienced at the time of the accident, some students reported the lack of concern about what happened and others were concerned about having to take exams, or feared contracting diseases. In relation to what was worse or more difficult to deal with after the accident, it was the feeling of fear of having contracted any disease or it was related to the delay in the exams results. Regarding the type of injury that students judged as important to notify was the presence of perforation associated with saliva or blood contact. Conclusion: Based on the present findings teaching strategies will be implemented, enhancing and facilitating the access and compliance to protocols, and encouraging the report of occupational injuries.