ABSTRACT: Introduction: A dental operatory is an area for easy and quick transmission of infections. Infections like TB, Hep B, Hep C, HSV and HIV can be readily transmitted among patients and to the operating staff if proper measures are not taken. The aim of the present study was to assess self-perceived knowledge and practices of the dental students and graduates about infection control measures. Method: The study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire, comprising of 12 basic questions to judge the knowledge and practices of students in the dental OPDs. A total of 360 dental students and house officers participated voluntarily in the survey. Results: The results showed that there did not exist sufficient knowledge among dental students and fresh dental graduates about infection control measures. Conclusion: There is thus a dire need to fulfill the gap between the ideal practices protocol knowledge and practices that are being followed by the students. Key words: Awareness, Behavior, Infection control, Dental students, Karachi. Original Article JBUMDC 2018; 8(3):142-146 Page-142 Awareness And Behavior Of Dental Students Towards Infection Control Measures In Karachi, Pakistan Chander Kumar, Muznah Khalid, Tauqeer Bibi INTRODUCTION: The dental facility is a domain where disease transmission happens rapidly 1 . Aversion of disease transmission in the dental center is along these lines a significant part of dental OPD, and dental facility employees must embrace certain essential protocols while in their dental practices. Dental health care professionals (DHCPs) are more prone to diseases caused by several pathogens like Mycobacterium tuberculosis, hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses, staphylococci, strepto- cocci, herpes simplex virus types 1, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), mumps, influenza, and rubella. Diseases might be conducted in the dental workplace via a few courses, including immediate interaction with blood, oral liquids, or different discharges; incidental contact with used instruments, operatory equipment, or surrounding areas; or interaction with aerial pollutants in either spatter or mist concentrates of oral and respiratory liquids 2,3 . Wearing of gloves by dental work force has been considered as a basic component of cross-disease control protocol in dental surgery 4,5 . Hands are thought to be a noteworthy source of disease transmiss- ion 6 , and conceivably contaminated blood might be held underneath the nails till five days. It is hard to expel debased material from hands, especially from the subungual and under the nails, until there is fastidious mechanical cleaning 7 . Foremost to the aversion of infections is the tight adherence to standardized safety measures for all dental specialists. This incorporates, however not restricted to, eye protection with horizontal shields, facemask, and defensive apparel. Regardless of the extensive emphasis on standardized disease control techniques, it creates an impression that some of the dental specialists are not using these systems in their clinical routine practice 8-13 . Indeed, even in dental schools, future dental practitioners are not generally following these strategies 14-21 . Professional exposure has been guaranteed to be an essential means by which HBV contamination is transmitted, and are therefore, thought to be at high risk 22,23 due to exposure to saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) 10,11 . Furthermore, the microorganisms remain active for more than twenty- four hours under characteristic conditions and for over one week in plastery casts, there exists a huge plausibility of HBV transmission in dental settings 22 . Dental knowledge plays a vital role in dentists’ learning, assisting them to acquire sufficient information and behaviors about cross infection control methods. Keeping this in view, the reason of this study was to evaluate the self-perceived behavior of dental students regarding infection control in Karachi, Pakistan. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A questionnaire based study was conducted among dental under-graduate students (third year, final year and house officers) at Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan. Students were briefed about sterilization and cross infection protocols when they started working in the dental OPD (constantly updated if need be). Chander Kumar, Associate Professor, Department of Periodontology, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi Email: kumar7053@hotmail.com Muznah Khalid, Lecturer, Department of Periodontology, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi Tauqeer Bibi, Lecturer, Department of Periodontology, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi Received: 06-05-18 Accepted: 24-07-18 DOI: https://doi.org/10.51985/JBUMDC2018035