Rina Kartika Sari

Faculty of Dental Medicine, Universitas Islam Sultan Agung Semarang, Indonesia

Abstract

Background: The number of HIV/AIDS cases continues to grow bigger and is spreading faster in all the Indonesian provinces. The number of AIDS cases in Indonesia was 3,679 in 2016 but there are so many more that go unreported. More than 40 patients with oral manifestation of HIV have had to seek out a dental hospital to get treatment for their oral problems. Not all dental health care providers are welcoming to HIV/AIDS patient, sometimes they are subject to negative stigma and will avoid treatment due to a lack of understanding about the disease and its mode of transmission.

Discussion: Dentists are exposed to a variety of microorganism in blood, saliva or other body fluids so that they should already know about the management and infection control necessary for HIV/AIDS patients that they will have treated in their dental  hospital training. Infection prevention and control programme in dental hospitals is organised by an Infection Prevention and Control Committee (PPI).

The programme provides infection control risk assesments and strategies that are socialised to all hospital staff to teach them about about HIV infection and transmission, the application of effective universal precautions such as hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, instruments decontamination and sterilisation, environmental hygiene, waste management, linen management, staff health and protection, airborne infection control and safer use of needles and sharps. In addition, dental hospital staff should understand how to manage needle-stick injuries, puncture wounds and other injuries that might expose the staff to blood or other contaminated body fluids. This includes an understanding of HIV testing procedures and the use of an antiretroviral (ARV) prescription to provide precautionary post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Monitoring and evaluation of all infection control protocols regularly undertaken by IPCN (Infection Prevention Control Nurse).

Conclusion: Dental hospital staff should strictly follow the step-wise procedures recommended in infection control programmes prepared by the PPI.