OBJECTIVETo understand current status of the uses of dental handpieces, methods of disinfection and sterilization and their effectiveness in dental-care hospitals and out-patient departments of stomatology in general hospitals.

METHODSTen dental-care hospitals and departments of stomatology in general hospitals at varied levels were randomly sampled during 2000 to 2001 to investigate the uses of dental handpieces and means of their disinfection and sterilization. One used dental handpiece from each hospital or department of stomatology in general hospital selected was detected for possible contamination of bacteria by aerobic bacterial count and Coliform bacterial examinations and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) on it, based on "The Technical Standards for Disinfection" set by the Ministry of Health of China, and the effectiveness of its disinfection and sterilization was evaluated as well.

RESULTSAnti-suction handpieces were used only in 5.9% of the hospitals or departments, 94.1% of them without anti-suction devices. Cleansing disinfection was applied for used dental handpieces in 62.9% of the dental-care hospitals and the departments of stomatology, with an effective rate of 26.17%, immersing disinfection in 10.0%, with an effective rate of 55.88%, and autoclave in 27.1%, with an effective rate of 80.43%. Used dental handpieces in the hospitals and departments of stomatology in general hospitals were all contaminated by bacteria and HBsAg could be detected in 1.67% of them.

CONCLUSIONSDental handpieces without anti-suction should be replaced soon by those with it or comprehensive dental unit with anti-suction device should be used. Used dental handpieces must be sterilized effectively before next use. Awareness on prevention from cross-infection should be improved for dental-care professional staff and operation of sterilization should be standardized.