Factors associated with dentists' willingness to treat high-risk patients.

The attitude of dentists in England and Wales to treatment of patients at high risk to HIV/HBV was tested by means of a postal questionnaire distributed to 1950 dentists randomly selected from those practising within the NHS Regulations. The response rate was 61%, with 52% of respondents indicating that they treated patients at high risk to AIDS/HBV. Analysis of respondent dentists' practice and personal profile showed associations between willingness to treat high-risk category patients and respondents' number of years since graduation, respondents' gender, number of postgraduate courses attended, and respondents' practice type.