Multitudes of pathogenic and infectious microbes are known to spread via contaminated aerosols. Dental personnel have an increased incidence of respiratory infections. Ultrasonic scaling procedures are reported to produce the largest amounts of contaminated aerosols of any dental procedure. The goal of the current study was to see if dental hygienists are at an increased risk of respiratory infections during the performance of their job and to see if certain dental procedures had a significant

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... ffect on this risk. This study was conducted at the Dental Hygiene Clinic of the Louisiana State University School of Dentistry in New Orleans, LA. An air monitor collected air composition data during various dental hygiene procedures, and a survey was given to dental hygiene students. The current study found significant increases in particle counts, aerosols and particulates, during ultrasonic scaling procedures. This significant increase in particle counts for a range of particles, 0.5-5.0 micron in diameter, was shown at the onset (p=0.0002) as well as throughout ultrasonic scaling procedures (p=0.0063). Aerosols of the 0.5-1.0 micron size range produced by dental procedures presents an important transportation mechanism since pathogenic bacteria and viruses can easily be carried by these size particles. Therefore, these results clarify the potential for significant risk of respiratory infection in dental hygienists. Recommendations are provided to help reduce this increased risk of aerosol mediated pathogen exposure during dental procedures. Survey analysis determined that receiving a flu shot the previous year had a significant effect on the likelihood of experiencing respiratory symptoms. CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW CHAPTER 2: MATERIALS AND METHODS Clinic and Survey Location This study was conducted in the Dental Hygiene Student Clinic of the Louisiana State University School of Dentistry in New Orleans, Louisiana, from the fall of 2009 through the spring of 2010. The dental hygiene program is a two year program, consisting of 1 st and 2 nd year students. During the 2009-2010 school year, the 1 st year class had 28 students and the 2 nd year class had 30 students. Dental Personnel This study aimed to evaluate the potential risk of infection in dental hygienists, in direct correlation to the dental procedures they perform. Dental hygienists do not perform all of the procedures dentists perform; however, the nature of their work and their proximity to the patient is comparable to a dentist. For the purpose of this study, any risk associated with general dentistry work has been assumed to also apply to dental hygienists as well. Therefore, any reference made to dental personnel in the present study, includes dental hygienists, dentists, dental surgeons, and dental assistants. Clinic Equipment The Met One Instruments Model 212-2 Ambient Particulate Profiler was used to monitor clinic indoor air. This instrument uses a laser-diode based optical sensor and light scatter technology to detect, size and count particles, including both aerosols and particulates (11); it does not, however, distinguish between these particle types. The data was calculated and downloaded through a serial cable to a Dell laptop computer and, using the software provided by Met One, was automatically saved and graphed to Microsoft Excel. For each 60 second interval, the monitor produced a data line which included the time, particulate count for each particle size, flow rate, relative humidity and temperature. For the duration of the sessions, the flow rate was set at 3.