A descriptive study of percutaneous injuries in National Healthcare Group POLYCLINICS dental clinics in Singapore from 2014 to 2020

Introduction All dental staff face risk of percutaneous injuries (PCI)s. Blood-borne diseases may be transmitted to staff via contaminated sharp instruments. Hence there are significant impacts on staff when PCIs occur. Though a PCI is an occupational hazard, it is preventable. Aim This study aims to identify factors associated with PCIs among dental staff by evaluating the circumstances and staff designations involved. Methods PCIs were reported through an electronic incident reporting system from 2014 to 2020. Reports involved their nature and extent. Statistical analysis was carried out to find associations between factors such as injury site, type of instrument and staff designation. Results A total of 63 PCIs were included in this study. The type of instrument was found to be significantly associated with staff designation ( p = 0.04, p