Knowledge and Compliance with Hepatitis B Standard Precautions Among Dental Healthcare Workers in Enugu State

Dental procedures involve frequent exposure to blood, saliva, and sharps, placing dental healthcare workers at occupational risk for Hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission. In Nigeria, where HBV is hyperendemic, dental settings represent an important but often overlooked HBV transmission context. This study assesses knowledge of HBV transmission risks and compliance with standard precautions among dental healthcare workers in public and private dental clinics in Enugu State, South East Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey will recruit 200 dental surgeons, dental nurses, and dental technologists across Enugu North, Enugu South, and Igbo-Eze North local government areas. A structured self-administered questionnaire will cover HBV natural history knowledge, standard precaution practices (glove use, mask use, instrument sterilisation, sharps disposal), HBV vaccination status, and history of needlestick injuries. Anti-HBs titres will be measured to confirm seroprotection in vaccinated respondents. Studies from comparable settings in South East Nigeria suggest that up to 40 percent of dental workers lack complete HBV vaccination and that compliance with standard precautions in private dental clinics is particularly poor. Findings will characterise HBV protection gaps in Enugu State's dental workforce and provide evidence for the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to strengthen HBV training requirements within dental professional licensing frameworks. Keywords: Hepatitis B, dental healthcare workers, standard precautions, occupational exposure, Enugu State