Blood-borne viruses: are we taking them seriously? A survey of UK oral and maxillofacial surgeons

The nature of the work done by oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMFSs) potentially places them at risk of transmission of blood-borne viruses from patients. We investigated the incidence of exposure to infected blood among OMF surgeons, and whether enough protection is being used. An anonymous postal questionnaire was sent to all OMFS consultants working in the UK in 2008 (n = 344) to investigate three areas relating to blood-borne viruses: incidence of surgeons experiencing and reporting exposure to potentially infected blood, their opinions about which patients pose a particular risk, and treatment plans and equipment selected when given two set clinical situations. A total of 148 consultants (43%) responded. Of the 80 respondents (61%) who had been exposed to blood within the last five years, more than two-thirds (n = 55) did not always report such incidents. Eighty-five (60%) stated that they considered that all patients posed a risk to the surgeon, and 104 (73%) altered their practice depending on the perceived risk from the individual patient.