Sharps injuries in a dental specialty hospital: retrospective analysis of occupational risks, 2020-2024.

Background: Occupational sharps injuries (OSI) remain a critical occupational health risk for healthcare workers, particularly in dental specialty settings where the use of fine instruments and frequent blood exposure heighten vulnerability. However, systematic data on high-risk populations, procedural factors, and pathogen distribution in dental specialty hospitals remain scarce. This study investigates the incidence, risk factors, and bloodborne infection profiles of sharps injuries in a tertiary dental hospital.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 170 OSI cases reported between January 2020 and December 2024 at a tertiary dental hospital in China. Data were extracted from paper-based registries and electronic adverse-event reporting systems, encompassing demographics, injury details, exposure sources, and pathogen profiles. Exclusion criteria included non-clinical injuries and incomplete records. Statistical analyses (SPSS 20.0) involved frequency calculations, chi-square tests, and Fisher's exact tests (significance: P < 0.05).

Results: A total of 170 OSI were reported between 2020 and 2024, with a annual incidence densities ranging from 3.09 to 5.15 per 100 person-years. Nurses (58.8%) and female workers (84.1%) constituted the majority of cases, while staff with ≤ 5 years of experience accounted for 64.7% of exposures. Bloodborne exposures dominated (76.5%), primarily caused by syringe needles (45.9%) and dental burs (9.4%). High-risk procedures included post-treatment instrument sorting (47.1%) and intraoperative handling (38.2%). Hepatitis B (9.2%) and syphilis (3.1%) were the most identified pathogens, though 63.85% of cases had unknown pathogen status. Dentists exhibited significantly higher hepatitis B exposure rates than nurses (13.9% vs. 5.4%, P = 0.04).

Conclusion: This study highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions in dental settings, including enhanced training for nurses and early-career staff, optimized instrument-handling protocols, and mandatory pathogen screening for high-risk patients. These findings provide actionable insights to mitigate OSI risks and reduce bloodborne infection burdens in dental specialty hospitals.