Occupational Accidents: Experiences of Brazilian Dental Students

Objectives: This study aimed to verify the occurrence of work accidents in graduation students of the Federal University of Paraiba (UFPB) and to analyze their knowledge about how to proceed in these cases. Methods: An inductive approach was used, with statistical-descriptive procedure and extensive direct observation technique, by means of a questionnaire. A sample of 168 (83.58%) dentistry students of the UFPB, 5º to 10º period, was obtained. Results: It can be observed: 100 (59.52%) students referred to already have suffered occupational accident (OC), most of them was male gender (62.07%) and of the last three semesters (72,13%). The superficial accidents were cited by 84 students and the percutaneous by 33; the main causes of accidents were distraction (24.23%) and rush (18.94%). The anesthesia needle (19.39%), the nº5 exploratory probe (16.35%), the operative dentistry (28.49%) and surgery (25.14%) were the most cited instruments and clinics, respectively. Of the accidents before the treatment 60% were during the washing. The incomplete use of the Individual Protection Equipment was observed in 80 (80.23%) that suffered accidents, and the complete use in 73.53% of the ones that never suffered accidents. Thirteen (13.12%) visited a specialized center in occupational accidents. Of the students that obtained previous knowledge about how to proceed in accidents 90 (56.57%), 38 (22.62%) answered correctly. Only 110 (65.48%) and 37 (22.02%) students possess complete immunization for hepatitis B and tetanus, respectively. Conclusions: It can be concluded that the experience with occupational accidents increases as the semesters evolve. The critical points found were: negligence in the post-accident conducts, washing of the instrumentals, absence of rubber gloves and complete immunization.