AIDS and infection control in dental practice: dentists' attitudes, knowledge, and behavior.

A random sample of 541 dentists in California was surveyed to determine the dentists' attitudes toward AIDS and their role in relation to AIDS, their knowledge about AIDS, their behaviors in regard to screening for AIDS, and their use of infection-control measures. The survey results showed that dentists believe they have a responsibility to care for patients with AIDS but preferred not to do so; were moderately knowledgeable about AIDS and AIDS-related issues; and were inconsistent in their use of infection-control measures.