Biomedical waste management in dental practice in the city of Guayaquil, year 2025

Abstract

Introduction: Proper biomedical waste management is an essential component of the health sciences, particularly in dental clinics where professionals are exposed to a wide range of infectious agents. Objective: To determine compliance with biomedical waste management among dental professionals in Guayaquil. Methods: An observational, descriptive study was conducted with a sample of 170 participants. Data were collected using a structured 20-item questionnaire divided into five sections, with Likert-scale response options. The questionnaire showed good reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.850). Results: For segregation, agreement was highest for rubber dam use (69.4%) and high-power suction/continuous irrigation (78.8%), while fewer participants reported the presence of filters/grates (41.2%) and ventilation/air filtration systems (48.2%). Regarding amalgam disposal, the use of a sealed container was reported by 55.3%, safe storage of chemicals by 71.2%, and the availability of an environmental waste manager by 74.7%, whereas delivery to a company for reuse was low (20.0%). For standardization, most respondents disagreed with reusing sharps (74.1%), and agreement was reported for replacing sharps containers at three-quarters capacity (67.7%), disinfection with sodium hypochlorite (61.2%), and handling of anatomical waste (64.7%). In the risk domain, color-coding was reported by 75.3% and daily disposal of general waste by 61.7%, while the availability of an exclusive refrigerator for anatomical waste was low (17.1%) and recycling was reported by 50.0%. For barriers, moderate agreement was observed for identifying kilograms of hazardous waste generated per day (50.6%), controlling disposal costs through weighing (48.2%), and applying internal compliance ratings (54.1%), with training standing out (64.1%). Conclusion: Dental waste management showed moderate compliance, with better performance in routine operational practices