An evaluation of knowledge and perception of pharmacology in undergraduate oral hygiene students and recent graduates at a single higher institution in Pretoria.

INTRODUCTION: Pharmacology is an increasingly important area of study for oral hygienists, as it provides the scientific basis for safe and effective oral healthcare. However, a lack of fundamental understanding of the discipline among clinical graduates can present significant challenges. Oral hygienists require pharmacological training to meet the requirements of their scope of practice. Pharmacology knowledge assists with the diagnosis and treatment of oral conditions and forms the foundation for further clinical competency development. The knowledge and perceptions of pharmacology for pharmacy, nursing and medical students have been well documented; however, little information is present for Bachelor of Oral Hygiene (BOH) students. This paper sets out to evaluate BOH students' and recent graduates' knowledge and perceptions of pharmacology at a single higher institution in Pretoria to identify possible gaps and weaknesses. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was used to collect data using an online questionnaire. The English-language questionnaire consisted of the self-reported perceptions and knowledge and actual knowledge of pharmacology of undergraduate BOH students and recent graduates. The questionnaire consisted of multiple choice questions, true or false questions and Likert scale questions. Ethics was obtained from the institution's Research Ethics Committee (REC 350/2021). RESULTS: Overall, the participants perceived the pharmacology module positively and understood its importance. Concerns were raised about insufficient time for studying and that assessments were more aligned to gaining factual knowledge than the development of problem-solving skills. Students rated their knowledge between 57.24% and 69.44%, with BOH III students and graduates having a statistically significant greater self-rated knowledge of antivirals, antifungals and common agents used to treat oral conditions in comparison with BOH I and BOH II students. Overall, BOH students and graduates' actual knowledge was between 45.24% and 66.84%. Although not statistically significant, the total self-rated knowledge of BOH III students and recent graduates tended to be higher than their actual knowledge. Knowledge deficits were evident with some pharmacological concepts across the various BOH groups, such as pharmacokinetics, pain, drugs altering dental treatment I: central nervous system drugs, drugs altering dental treatment II: respiratory and endocrine drugs, drugs altering dental treatment III: cardiovascular drugs, drug-drug interactions and common agents used to treat oral conditions. CONCLUSION: Self-rated knowledge deficiencies were noted by students and recent graduates for certain pharmacological concepts and were supported by the measurement of their actual knowledge. Further investigation into knowledge deficiencies is needed to guide curriculum review to further strengthen oral hygienists' pharmacological competencies and ensure alignment to their scope of practice.

Prevalence of dental caries in the permanent dentition amongst 12-year-olds in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Dental caries (DC) is highly prevalent condition affecting mostly young children. There has been no systematic review done on the prevalence of DC amongst 12-year -olds in Africa. Although some African countries have reported a decrease in DC prevalence, others have shown an increase and it is essential to measure current trends in order to identify strategies and programmes that could assist in reducing DC in Africa. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the prevalence of DC (condition) amongst the permanent dentition of 12-year-old children (population) in Africa (context). METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed. Peer reviewed cross-sectional articles from January 2000 until December 2021 was searched and this included the following databases: Pubmed (Medline); SCOPUS; CINAHL (via EBSCOhost); Academic Search Complete (via EBSCOhost); Dentistry and Oral Sciences Sources (via EBSCOhost); and Science Direct. The search was last updated on the 10th January 2022. Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools were used to assess risk of bias. Prevalence figures were stratified by Urban/Rural status, country and time using a random-effects model. All studies performed on children 12-year-olds on the African continent were included. The prevalence of DC and the DMFT scores were the primary and secondary outcome measures, respectively. Only articles consisting of 12-year-old children who reside in Africa were included in this study. The systematic review was registered with Prospero CRD42021293666. RESULTS: 18,080 participants were included in this review. A total of thirty studies were included in the review. The pooled effect size of dental caries severity was 1.09 (CI 0.91-1.27) and the overall prevalence was 36% (CI 29.4-41.7%). Eritrea (78%) had the highest prevalence of DC while Zambia had the lowest (11%); Eritrea also had the highest DMFT score (2.5) with Sudan having the lowest score (0.49). Urban cities had the highest DMFT score (1.32, CI 0.97-1.68), compared to rural cities (1.13, CI 0.86-1.4) and there was an increasing trend in DC prevalence over time from 28% (CI 23-34%) in 2000 to 2005 to 57% (CI 43-72%) in studies conducted after 2015. The risk of bias was very low where majority of the studies scored more than 50% in the JBI critical appraisal tool. CONCLUSIONS: There was a wide discrepancy in the DC prevalence and scores across the different countries, settings (rural versus urban) and there was an increase in the prevalence over time. This review was self-funded.

The Ergonomic Knowledge and Practice of Dental Students in a Tertiary Institution in South Africa.

Proper ergonomic practices are crucial practices to be considered when working on dental patients, and are often neglected during the dental students' training. We aimed to assess the dental students' knowledge of ergonomics as well the prevalence of their musculoskeletal pain. Methods. A cross sectional analytical study was conducted at a dental school in South Africa. The sample included all senior dental, and dental hygiene students registered in the 2021 academic year. A modified questionnaire using an online platform assessed the student's level of practical and theoretical knowledge of ergonomics; their personal assessment of their competency in implementing ergonomics; and their prevalence of musculoskeletal pain. The knowledge scores were calculated to determine the overall scores. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Ethical clearance was obtained from the Faculty Ethical Committee and all information was anonymous. Results. The response rate was 52% (n = 106), the mean knowledge score was 68%, and 53% reported to be able to successfully implement their ergonomic knowledge practically. The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain increased from 32% prior to entering dental school to 78% during dental school. Pain was most commonly reported to be on the back (77%), neck (51%), and shoulders (51%). Conclusion. The majority of students had an average level of knowledge regarding ergonomic principles, however, the practical application was poor. Many students reported to have suffered from back pain which seemed to have started since treating patients. The supervisors should educate and assist students to practice healthy ergonomic postures during clinical and pre-clinical sessions.

Association between body mass index, diet and dental caries in Grade 6 boys in Medina, Saudi Arabia.

The prevalence of obesity is increasing in Saudi Arabia and although caries is associated with obesity, this association has not been investigated in Medina. This study aimed to determine the association between dental caries, body mass index (BMI) and dietary habits of 12-year-old boys from four geographically distinct schools in Medina. Mean BMI was 22.17 kg/m² (± 5.15); 41% had normal BMI, 25% were overweight and 30% were obese. The mean Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) score was 1.46 (± 2.04). Those in the normal BMI range had a significantly higher prevalence of caries (57%) and DMFT score (1.92) compared with the overweight and obese groups (P < 0.05). These differences remained significant after controlling for possible confounders via linear regression. Mean BMI was significantly lower in boys with severe compared with mild or no caries. Normal and underweight participants had an almost 2 times greater risk of developing caries compared with their overweight and obese counterparts. The children had poor dietary habits and there were no significant associations between dietary variables and caries.

Association between body mass index, diet and dental caries in Grade 6 boys in Medina, Saudi Arabia

The prevalence of obesity is increasing in Saudi Arabia and although caries is associated with obesity, this association has not been investigated in Medina. This study aimed to determine the association between dental caries, body mass index [BMI] and dietary habits of 12-year-old boys from four geographically distinct schools in Medina. Mean BMI was 22.17 kg/m[2] [ +/- 5.15]; 41% had normal BMI, 25% were overweight and 30% were obese. The mean Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth [DMFT] score was 1.46 [ +/- 2.04]. Those in the normal BMI range had a significantly higher prevalence of caries [57%] and DMFT score [1.92] compared with the overweight and obese groups [P < 0.05]. These differences remained significant after controlling for possible confounders via linear regression. Mean BMI was significantly lower in boys with severe compared with mild or no caries. Normal and underweight participants had an almost 2 times greater risk of developing caries compared with their overweight and obese counterparts. The children had poor dietary habits and there were no significant associations between dietary variables and caries

La prévalence de l'obésité augmente en Arabie saoudite et malgré le lien qui existe entre la carie et l'obésité, cette association n'a pas été étudiée à Médine. La présente étude avait pour objectif de déterminer l'association entre les caries dentaires, l'indice de masse corporelle [IMC] et les habitudes alimentaires de garçons âgés de 12 ans venant de quatre écoles géographiquement distinctes à Médine. L'IMC moyen était de 22,17 kg/m[2] [+/- 5,15]; 41% avaient un IMC normal, 25% étaient en surcharge pondérale et 30% étaient obèses. Le score moyen de l'indice CAO [dent cariée, absente ou obturée] s'élevait à 1,46 [+/- 2,04]. Les garçons dont l'IMC se situait dans les valeurs normales avaient un prévalence de la carie [57%] et un indice CAO supérieurs [1,92] à ceux du groupe des enfants en surcharge pondérale et souffrant d'obésité [p < 0,05]. Ces différences demeuraient significatives après avoir contrôlé d'autres facteurs de confusion potentiels grâce à la régression linéaire. L'IMC moyen était considérablement plus faible chez les garçons ayant des caries sévères par rapport à ceux qui avaient des caries bénignes ou qui n'en avaient pas. Les participants de poids normal ou présentant une insuffisance pondérale avaient un risque deux fois plus important de développer des caries que ceux qui étaient en surcharge pondérale ou obèses. Les enfants avaient de mauvaises habitudes alimentaires et il n'y avait aucune association entre les variables alimentaires et les caries

Validity and reliability of the Arabic short version of the child oral health-related quality of life questionnaire (CPQ 11-14) in Medina, Saudi Arabia.

The Arabic version of the Child Perception Questionnaire for assessing oral health-related quality of life in 11-14 year olds (CPQ 11-14) has been validated previously. This study tested the validity and reliability of a short version of the Arabic CPQ 11-14 in the general population of Medina, Saudi Arabia. A total of 268 schoolchildren completed the questionnaire and were examined to determine the prevalence of caries and malocclusion. The mean total score was 8.53 (SD 8.18), and 7% of children scored zero. There was a significant association between malocclusion and oral symptoms and between DMFT score and functional limitations. The test-retest reliability (0.78) and Cronbach alpha (0.82) were excellent. The construct validity was acceptable for oral health (ρ = 0.37) and overall well-being (ρ = 0.40). The Arabic version of the short form CPQ 11-14 was reliable and valid for this general population of children.

Oral health status of 12-year-old male schoolchildren in Medina, Saudi Arabia.

Studies from Saudi Arabia have reported that the prevalence of dental caries among children is relatively high compared with other developing countries The aim was to determine the oral hygiene status and significant caries (SiC) index of 12-year-old males in Medina . In a cross-sectional, analytical study 360 students participated from 4 boys' schools. Dental caries, plaque, gingivitis, fluorosis and malocclusion were recorded using standard methods and indices. The mean DMFT score was 1.53 (SD 1.88). Caries prevalence was low (57.2%) but the mean SiC index was relatively high [3.63 (SD 1.66)]. The prevalences of plaque and gingivitis were high (82.8% and 70.8% respectively). Lower molars had the highest rate of caries. No children presented with dental fluorosis and 82.5% had a class I jaw relationship. Oral hygiene awareness programmes at schools, together with brushing and flossing programmes, are recommended in order to maintain and improve the oral health of young children in Medina.

Oral health status of 12-year-old male schoolchildren in Medina, Saudi Arabia

Studies from Saudi Arabia have reported that the prevalence of dental caries among children is relatively high compared with other developing countries. The aim was to determine the oral hygiene status and significant caries [SiC] index of 12-year-old males in Medina. In a cross-sectional, analytical study 360 students participated from 4 boys' schools. Dental caries, plaque, gingivitis, fluorosis and malocclusion were recorded using standard methods and indices. The mean DMFT score was 1.53 [SD 1.88]. Caries prevalence was low [57.2%] but the mean SiC index was relatively high [3.63 [SD 1.66]. The prevalences of plaque and gingivitis were high [82.8% and 70.8% respectively]. Lower molars had the highest rate of caries. No children presented with dental fluorosis and 82.5% had a class I jaw relationship. Oral hygiene awareness programmes at schools, together with brushing and flossing programmes, are recommended in order to maintain and improve the oral health of young children in Medina

Selon des études menées en Arabie saoudite, la prévalence de la carie dentaire chez l'enfant est relativement élevée par rapport à d'autres pays en développement. L'objectif était de déterminer l'état de santé bucco-dentaire et les valeurs d’indice de sévérité de l'atteinte carieuse [SiC, pour Significant Caries index] chez des garçons de 12 ans à Médine ; 360 élèves de quatre écoles de garçons ont participé à une étude transversale analytique. Les car ies dentaires, le tartre, la gingivite, la fluorose et les malocclusions ont été enregistrés à l'aide de méthodes et indices standards. L’indice de dents cariées, absentes ou obturées [ou DCAO] moyen était de 1,53 [ET 1,88]. La prévalence des caries était faible [57,2 %] mais l'indice SiC moyen était relativement élevé [3,63 [ET 1,66]. La prévalence du tartre et de la gingivite était importante [82,8 % et 70,8 %, respectivement]. Les molaires inférieures avaient le taux le plus élevé de caries. Aucun enfant ne souffrait de fluorose tandis que 82,5 % présentaient une malocclusion de classe I. Des programmes de sensibilisation à l'hygiène bucco-dentaire dans les établissements scolaires, associés à des programmes de brossage des dents et d'utilisation de fil dentaire sont recommandés afin de préserver mais aussi d'améliorer la santé bucco-dentaire des jeunes enfants en Arabie saoudite

Validity and reliability of the Arabic short version of the child oral health-related quality of life questionnaire [CPQ 11–14]in Medina, Saudi Arabia

لقد تم التحقق من قَبْلُ من صحة الإخراجة العربية لاستبيان إدراك الطفل من أجل تقييم جودة الحياة ذات الصلة بصحة أما هذه الدراسة فتستقصي صحة وموثوقية الإخراجة العربية المخترة لهذا الاستبيان .)CPQ 14-14 عاماً )11-الفم لدى الأطفال بعمر 11 لدى أطفال عامة الناس في المدينة المنورة في المملكة العربية السعودية. وقد شملت الدراسة 268 من أطفال المدارس الذين استكملوا الاستبيان ثم أعيد فحصهم ثانية للتعرف عى معدلات انتشار النخر وسوء الإطباق. وتبنّ أن الحرز الوسطي الإجمالي 8.53 )بانحراف معياري 8.18(، وأن 7 % من الأطفال لديهم الحرز "صفر". وقد اتضح وجود ترابط يُعتد به إحصائياً بن سوء الإطباق والأعراض الفموية، وبن حرز نخر وخلع وحشو الأسنان وجوانب النقص في الوظائف. وكانت نتائج قياس موثوقية الاختبار وإعادة الاختبار وكذلك المعافاة عى (0.37 = ρ) كرونباخ ألفا )0.82( نتائج ممتازة. وكانت صحة البنية مقبولة في صحة الفميومعادل الاتساق الداخ 14 هي -. وتبنَّ للباحثَنْ أن الإخراجة العربية المخترة من استبيان الحياة ذات الصلة بصحة الفم لدى الأطفال 11(0.40 = ρ) وجه العمومإخراجة موثوقة وصحيحة للمجموعات العامة من الأطفال.

The Arabic version of the Child Perception Questionnaire for assessing oral health-related quality of life in 11–14 year olds (CPQ 11–14) has been previously validated. This study tested the validity and reliability of the short version of the Arabic CPQ 11–14 in the general population of Medina, Saudi Arabia. A total of 268 schoolchildren completed the questionnaire and were examined to determine the prevalence of caries and malocclusion. The mean total score was 8.53 (SD 8.18), and 7% of children scored zero. There was a significant association between malocclusion and oral symptoms and between DMFT score and functional limitations. The test–retest reliability (0.78) and Cronbach alpha (0.82) were excellent. The construct validity was acceptable for oral health (ρ = 0.37) and overall well-being (ρ = 0.40). The Arabic version of the short form CPQ 11–14 was reliable and valid for this general population of children.

La version en langue arabe du Child Perception Questionnaire visant à évaluer la qualité de vie liée à la santé bucco-dentaire chez l'enfant de 11 à 14 ans (CPQ 11–14) a déjà été validée. La présente étude a testé la validité et la fiabilité de la version abrégée du questionnaire CPQ 11–14 en langue arabe auprès de la population générale de Médine (Arabie saoudite). Au total, 268 écoliers ont rempli le questionnaire puis ont été examinés pour déterminer la prévalence des caries et des malocclusions. Le score total moyen était de 8,53 (ET 8,18), et 7 % des enfants ont obtenu un score de zéro. Il existait une forte association entre la malocclusion et les symptômes buccaux ainsi qu'entre le score pour l'indice des dents cariées, absentes ou obturées (ou CAO) et les limites fonctionnelles. La fiabilité d'un test-retest (0,78) et le coefficient alpha de Cronbach (0,82) étaient excellents. La validité du construit était acceptable pour la santé bucco-dentaire (ρ = 0,37) et pour le bien-être général (ρ = 0,40). La version abrégée du questionnaire CPQ 11–14 en langue arabe est fiable et valable pour cette population générale d'enfants.

Services rendered and barriers faced by public sector oral hygienists in two provinces of South Africa.

Oral hygienists (OHs) drive oral disease preventive programmes and promote good health practices. South Africa (SA) has a shortage of this cadre of health worker especially in the public sector. This 2009 project was the first effort to determine the professional activities performed, barriers faced and work- related issues that affected OHs employed at that time in Gauteng and in KwaZulu-Natal. The cross-sectional descriptive study used a self-administered questionnaire developed after a comprehensive literature review. The response rate was 78% (N = 32). Almost all (94%) respondents gave "providing a service to the community" as the main reason for working in the public sector, where they were committed to offering preventative oral and dental services at clinics and in the community. Common employment problems were poor salaries (94%), lack of resources (81%) and the perception that opportunities for promotion are limited (78%), compounded by poor recognition of the services provided by OHs. In order to more effectively utilise the skills and commitment of OHs in delivering preventive dentistry in the public sector, such problems facing the profession should be addressed.

Inflammatory pseudotumour of the lung: a case report and literature review.

We describe a patient with inflammatory pseudotumour of the lung. He was a young man who presented with haemotysis and the chest X-ray and computerized tomography were indicative of a nonbenign lesion in the right upper lobe. Excision biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of inflammatory myofibroblastic pseudotumour of the lung. This is a rare inflammatory nonneoplastic condition commonly affecting children and young adults.

Caries status among children in the West Rand District of Gauteng Province, South Africa.

INTRODUCTION: There is a lack of data about the prevalence and clinical consequences of dental caries in the West Rand. However dental caries does appear to be a substantial public health problem in Gauteng. OBJECTIVE: This study set out to determine the prevalence and clinical consequences of dental caries among school children in the West Rand district of Gauteng. METHODOLOGY: This was a cross-sectional study comprised of 800 pre-school and primary school children six to eight years old. Cluster sampling was used to select the participating schools. The oral health status was determined by using the DMFT/dmft and PUFA/pufa indices. RESULTS: Of the 800 children, 282 were in the four to five year old age group and 518 were six to eight years old. For four to five year olds the mean dmft score was 2.24 and the prevalence of caries 49%. The clinical consequence of caries was scored with a mean pufa index of 2.9 and the percentage of untreated decay was 47%. For six to eight year olds the mean DMFT/dmft scores were 0.1 and 2.4 respectively and the prevalence of caries 46%. The clinical consequence of caries scored with the PUFA/pufa index was 0.0 and 3.4 respectively and the percentage of untreated decay was 44%. CONCLUSION: There are high levels of untreated caries in children in this district. The pufa scores ndicate that children suffer serious consequences of untreated decay.

Pediatric oral HIV research in the developing world.

This article is a review of the literature between 2003 (since the last workshop) and April 2009 (Beijing workshop). It focuses on the prevalence of oral lesions associated with HIV infection, oral lesions as predictors of HIV infection, oral lesions as markers of the efficacy of highly active antiretroviral treatment and quality of life, caries risk, the management of oral lesions, and epidemiologic tests for clinical significance of oral lesions.

Oral lesions, HIV phenotypes, and management of HIV-related disease: Workshop 4A.

The workshop considered 5 questions related to oral lesions, HIV phenotypes, and the management of HIV-related disease, with a focus on evidence and challenges in resource-poor settings. First, are oral lesions unique with respect to geographic location or phenotype? Second, how useful would an oral lesion index be to predict HIV in resource-poor countries with no access to CD4 counts or viral load? Third, what are the latest methods and delivery modes for drugs used to treat oral lesions associated with HIV? Fourth, what is the role of the oral health care worker in rapid diagnostic testing for HIV? Fifth, what ethical and legal issues are to be considered when managing the HIV patient? The consensus of the workshop was the need for additional research in 4 key areas in developing countries: (1) additional investigation of comorbidities associated with HIV infection that may affect oral lesion presentation and distribution, especially in pediatric populations; (2) the development of region-specific algorithms involving HIV oral lesions, indicating cumulative risk of immune suppression and the presence of HIV disease; (3) well-designed clinical trials to test new therapies for oral lesions, new treatments for resistant oral fungal and viral diseases, effectiveness of therapies in children, and new drug delivery systems; and (4) the role of the oral health care worker in rapid diagnostic testing for HIV in various regions of the world.

Salt fluoridation: a meta-analysis of its efficacy for caries prevention.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the caries preventive effect of Salt fluoridation (SF) in the permanent dentition in children. THE OBJECTIVES WERE TO COMPARE: (1) the caries preventive effects of SF versus no exposure in different age cohorts (6-8; 9-12; and 13-15 years old); (2) SF versus other community based interventions (milk or water fluoridation [WF]). METHODS: 9 English and 2 non-English databases were searched for papers that reported on the caries preventive effect of groups (with controls) that were exposed to SF in the form of mean DMFT scores with standard deviations. Differences in exposed and nonexposed groups were computed on the basis of weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: For 6-8 year olds, the pooled reduction in DMFT scores was -0.98 [95% CI: -1.68 to -0.29]; for 9-12 year olds, it was -2.13 [95% CI: -2.55 to -1.70] and for the 13-15 year old groups, -4.22 [95% CI: -6.84 to -1.55]. All the analyses favoured the SF groups (p <0.001). For SF versus WF, there was no difference (-0.11 reduction [95% CI: -0.29 to +0.07]). CONCLUSION: Within limitations, the pooled estimates of the WMDs for the different age cohorts favoured SF versus no exposure.

Attitudes of South African oral hygienists towards compulsory community service.

UNLABELLED: Compulsory Community Service (CCS) was introduced into the health service by the government to address the shortage and maldistribution of health professionals within the public sector. The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions of oral hygiene (OH) students, registered in 2004 at the five dental universities regarding the introduction of a 1-year-long CCS. OBJECTIVES: To determine: (a) the students' socio-demographic profile and (b) their attitudes towards CCS. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire was hand delivered to all OH students who were registered during 2004 at the respective dental universities. RESULTS: The study yielded a response rate of 70% (109) with the average age of participants being 21.4 years. Most students were female (94%) and more than half were White (52%). More than half (53%) did not want to perform CCS even though 75% acknowledged its' importance. The most common concern for not supporting CCS was security (89%). Ninety per cent (90%) indicated that their preferred tasks would be to engage in clinical work and oral health promotion. CONCLUSION: Although the majority of participants supported the principles of CCS, a significant number were against the introduction citing security as their main concern. Most of the students preferred to perform clinical work and preventive programmes during their CCS.

Predicting HIV in a public dental facility using group I oral lesions.

UNLABELLED: Group I oral lesions have been strongly associated with HIV and in resource-poor settings could be useful predictors of HIV. No study has evaluated the predictability of these lesions in diagnosing HIV/AIDS in patients who attend dental public facilities in South Africa. OBJECTIVES: To determine the HIV status, prevalence of Group I oral lesions and their predictive value amongst patients attending a dental clinic in Soweto, South Africa. METHODS: This cross sectional analytical study comprised of adult patients attending a dental facility over one week in 2006. All patients underwent a clinical examination by calibrated dentists. RESULTS: A total of 165 patients (100% response) were screened of which 87 (53%) were female. The HIV prevalence was 28% (n = 46) and of those who tested positive, 15% (7) manifested with Necrotizing Ulcerative Gingivitis (NUG). This proved to be highly predictive for HIV (positive predictive value = 93.8%, specificity = 99.6% and likelihood ratio = 40). CONCLUSION: The high prevalence rate of HIV in dental facilities confirms the heavy burden of the HIV epidemic. NUG proved to be a good predictor of HIV in this setting.