This study evaluated the effect of disinfectants on the tensile bond strength of Nickel-Chromium alloy bonded with resin
cement. 180 pairs of Nickel-Chromium dumbbells were prepared. The dumbbells were divided into 3 groups (n=60), which
received one of the following treatments: Sandblasted only (control), sandblasted and Perform®-ID or sandblasted and
sodium hypochlorite (SH) before bonding with resin cement. All bonded specimens were stored in distilled water for 24
h and half of the specimens were subsequently thermocycled (500 cycles) before debonding. Tensile bond strength was
recorded and each dumbbell was examined for failure mode. Two-way ANOVA analysis indicated that overall there was
a statistically significant difference between 24 h and thermocycling test, but no differences between sandblasted only,
sandblasted and Perform-ID or sandblasted and SH groups. Post-ANOVA contrasts indicated that only the sandblasted
and SH group showed a significant difference between the 24 h and thermocycling test. Disinfectants did not significantly
decrease tensile bond strength between Nickel-Chromium dumbbells bonded with resin cement.
A study was done to assess and compare the levels of infection control practices amongst Year
3, 4 and 5 undergraduate dental students at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Malaysia. This
study also compared the levels of infection control practices between the operators and the assistants
performing a similar task. A checklist was designed based on the Infection Control Guidelines published by
the Faculty of Dentistry. The audit checklist criteria were specific to the operators and assistants or common
to both. 10 pairs of students (operators and assistants) were randomly selected from Polyclinics A, B and C,
representing Year 3, 4 and 5 students respectively (n=60). The subjects were audited as soon as they
entered the clinic, during treatment and up until they exited the polyclinic. The data collected were analysed
using SPSS and Rasch model. Year 3 students performed better infection control practices (1.43 logit)
followed by Year 5 (0.96 logit) and Year 4 (0.94 logit) students. The operators in Year 5 and the assistants
in Year 3 and 4 were more compliant to infection control practices. 100% of students complied with removal
of gown before leaving the clinic. However, only 1.7% of dental students wore protective goggles or face
shield during treatment and disinfected prostheses before and after inserting into patient’s mouth.
Introduction and reinforcement of infection control practices should be incorporated at the beginning of each
academic year for all students to allow for better practice and delivery of treatment to patients.