ArticleBMC medical education2025
Handwashing practice among dental students: lessons unlearned from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Article in BMC medical education, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Study on the Importance of Hygienic Hand Disinfection of Dental Practitioners and Students as an Infection Control Measure in Dental Practice.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundHandwashing is essential for reducing the risk of cross-infection in the dental setting, as evidenced by the heightened significance of this practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.
objectivesThe extent of adherence to handwashing in the dental setting in the post-COVID-19 phase remains unclear, particularly regarding the pandemic's impact on this practice among dental students. This inquiry constitutes the primary objective of the present study. MATERIALS AND
methodsA cross-sectional study was designed involving 100 randomly selected undergraduated dental students at the Santiago de Compostela University (Spain). In 2023, the handwashing procedures performed by students at the end of practical classes were recorded through direct observation. The variables analyzed were: duration of the procedure, cleaning agent used, and the location of handwashing. Results were compared with those obtained from a similar study conducted in 2015, prior to the COVID-19 outbreak.
resultsIn 2023, 29% of students washed their hands after practical classes, compared to 42% in 2015 (p = 0.046). No students adhered the WHO handwashing recommendations. Among senior students, the percentage practicing handwashing increased (p = 0.019), as did the duration of the procedure (p = 0.013), compared to mid-senior students. A higher percentage of students engaged in handwashing (p = 0.01) and for a longer duration (p = 0.038) at the conclusion of clinical training session compared to preclinical simulation session.
conclusionsDespite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, handwashing is not a standard practice among dental students. Therefore, it is imperative to implement educational measures that promote genuine adherence to this hygiene practice.
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