Knowledge, attitude, and practice on mercury disposal by preclinical and clinical students of a dental college in Puducherry - A questionnaire survey

Background: Mercury-containing waste cannot be disposed of with other biomedical waste and has to be handled carefully. It is essential that students understand the proper guidelines regarding the same. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practices of handling mercury and mercury-containing waste among dental students. Methodology: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among 237 preclinical and clinical students of a private dental college in Puducherry UT, India. A closed-ended, self-administered questionnaire consisting of 30 items was designed to elicit responses from study participants. The questionnaire had separate items to assess their knowledge, attitude, and practice. Results: Study participants provided wrong answers (