Infection prevention and control practices among dental care providers in Banadir region, Somalia: a cross-sectional study

Dental procedures frequently generate aerosols and involve contact with blood and saliva, which increases the risk of transmission of blood-borne and respiratory pathogens. In fragile and conflict-affected settings such as Somalia, where healthcare infrastructure has been severely disrupted, adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines in dental practice remains insufficiently documented. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the adherence to IPC standard practices among dental care providers in Somalia and identify factors associated with compliance. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 227 dental care providers recruited purposively from accessible practices across 14 districts of Banadir Region between August and November 2025. A structured, guidance-informed questionnaire captured sociodemographic characteristics, hepatitis B vaccination, hand hygiene, PPE use, instrument processing, sharps safety, and healthcare waste management. Because the submitted composite adherence score was not sufficiently documented or validated, it and the associated regression analysis were excluded from the revised manuscript. Descriptive statistics were generated using Stata version 18.0. The mean age was 34.2 years (SD 9.5), 72.2% were male, and 85.9% reported full hepatitis B vaccination. Combined “always or sometimes” responses were reported by 92.1% for hand hygiene before patient contact, 72.7% for changing gloves between patients, and 68.3% for changing masks between patients; these combined values are descriptive and do not represent consistent adherence. Autoclaving was the primary instrument-processing method for 78.4%, while 21.6% reported boiling, chemical disinfection, or soap-and-water cleaning. Self-reported IPC practices varied across domains. High hepatitis B vaccination coverage and widespread glove use were reported, but important gaps remained in instrument processing, replacement of gloves and masks between patients, sharps safety, and healthcare waste management. The purposive sample, self-reported measures, cross-sectional design, unvalidated questionnaire, and absence of an objective IPC knowledge assessment limit interpretation and generalizability. Future studies should use validated instruments, direct observation, and clearly enumerated probability-based sampling where feasible.