Adherence to Personal Protective Equipment Protocols: A Survey of Dentists in Khartoum's Teaching Hospitals, 2025

Abstract

For infection control in the high-risk dental environment, the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is not only crucial, but its correct and consistent use is a matter of urgency. A study in public teaching hospitals in Khartoum State, Sudan, and involved 117 General Dental Practitioners (GDPs) has revealed systemic problems in the use of PPE that could have serious consequences in the dental setting.

According to the results, 74.4% of clinics lacked written infection prevention and control policies, and shockingly, only a 10.6% percentage of GDPs received adequate supplies of PPE. A whopping 88% staff hadn’t any formal training in the use of PPE, and therefore, practitioner compliance to this is quite unpredictable. In one area, glove use was up to 91.5% but the instant removal of damaged gloves was just 54.7%. The mask compliance was somewhat satisfactory, but, the procedure wasn’t consistently executed; only 18.8% of the GDPs changed their wet masks between patients. Coming in last were protective eyewear with a deplorable 26.5% and gowns with a despicable 22.2% adherence. The general picture here is of PPE usage that is not up to par and is fundamentally undermined by the absence of clear policies, inconsistent access to equipment, and lack of training.