The influence of dental unit design on percutaneous injury.

The handpiece receptacle of a European, buggy-whip-style dental unit is in a different location than that of a conventional dental unit. This study investigated whether this difference affects the incidence of percutaneous injuries among dental professionals. The researchers asked dental professionals to record descriptions of percutaneous injuries they sustained during a period of 30 workdays. Findings indicated that most injuries were bur-related and that there was no statistically significant difference between the European and the conventional dental units with respect to the incidence of percutaneous injury.