Knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to infection prevention and control among university dental students in China: a quantitative, questionnaire-based, single-center study

Introduction Dental students may face multiple sources of infection during their clinical practice in the dental environment. In this context, assessing the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding infection prevention and control among dental students is essential. The aim of this study was to conduct a quantitative, questionnaire-based, single-center investigation to assess knowledge, practices, and attitudes of infection prevention and control among university dental students in China. Methods A survey was developed and sent to current dental students to assess the KAP regarding infection prevention and control. The questionnaire consisted of 15 items related to knowledge, attitudes, and practices. The reliability of the survey was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (0.67 for knowledge, 0.82 for attitudes, and 0.72 for practice). A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to evaluate the potential differences among groups using the SPSS software. Relationships among scores between KAP were examined using Pearson’s correlation test. Results N = 218 dental students (response rate: 82.0%) completed the questionnaire. The overall scores of knowledge, attitude, and practice were 2.92 ± 1.07, 3.54 ± 0.54, and 4.03 ± 0.84, respectively. ANOVA indicated significant differences among third-year students, fourth-year students, and interns for attitude ( p < 0.01) and practice scores ( p = 0.04), whereas knowledge scores did not differ significantly. Pearson’s correlation test demonstrated the correlation among scores of attitudes and practices ( p = 0.01). No significant correlations were observed between other parameters. Discussion Although dental students in universities generally exhibited positive attitudes and complied with recommended infection prevention and control practices, their knowledge remains insufficient. These results indicate the importance of adding standardized infection control drills in pre-clinical courses and setting up a regular assessment mechanism for infection control knowledge and operational skills to improve clinical training and supervision for dental students in China.