Background: hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a well recognised occupational risk for dental health care workers in an endemic area like Nigeria. It is however effectively vaccine preventable. There had been a suboptimal uptake of this vaccination.
Objectives: This study assesed the knowledge of respondents on pre-exposure prevention and post exposure management of HBV infection. It also investigated level of compliance with the vaccination and factors associated with non-compliance.
Methods: The study was conducted by self-administered questionnaires distributed to clinical students and all cadres of staff working at the dental clinic of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.
Results: 159 persons participated. Knowledge of the infection was inadequate. There was an overall vaccination rate of 40.3%. However, dentists were significantly more likely to be vaccinated than either the other cadres of staff or the students (p = 0.014). Students had the poorest compliance. 54% of respondents gave reasons suggestive of complacency for non-uptake.
Conclusions: Students and staff of the Dental School of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital are not adequately protected against HBV. We recommend mandatory immunisation of both students and-staffs before exposure to clinical practice