factors influencing compliance with infection control practice in japanese dentists

background: in recent years, dentists have more opportunity of treating patients infected with blood-borne pathogens. although compliance with infection control practice (icp) in dental practice is required, it is not still sufficiently spread in japan. objective: to identify factors associated with compliance with icps in the population of japanese dentists. methods: in a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study in 2009, 2134 dentists in aichi prefecture, japan, were surveyed. they were asked for their demographic characteristics, willingness to treat hiv/aids patients, and knowledge about universal/standard precautions and icp. results: many icp items had significant association with age, specialty for oral surgery, number of patients treated per day, willingness to treat hiv/aids patients and knowledge about the universal/standard precautions. in logistic regression model, knowledge about the precautions had significant associations with all icp items. among participants with disadvantageous characteristic group for icp ( ie , age ≥50 years, being general dentist, and treating ≤35 patients/day), knowledge about the universal/standard precautions had greater impact on exchanging handpiece for each patient and installing extra-oral vacuum in those with age of ≥50 years than in those who visited ≤35 patient per day. conclusion: knowledge about the meaning of universal/standard precautions is the most significant predictor of compliance with icps among japanese dentists.