Purpose: To determine if U.S. Air Force dentists have a significantly
higher prevalence of infection from M. tuberculosis than a similar no-
dentist group. Materials and Methods: A written survey instrument was
sent to all active duty Air Force dentists and lawyers. The survey ask
ed individuals to voluntarily and anonymously give information regardi
ng positive tuberculin skin testing which was subsequently treated wit
h antituberculosis medication. Only positive responses which occurred
during the time the respondent was practicing as a dentist or lawyer i
n the Air Force were counted. Significant exposures were considered to
have occurred in those persons who were evaluated by a physician and
actually put on a course of antituberculosis medication. Results: The
dentists returned 82.7% of the 1256 surveys sent, of which 2.37% indic
ated a significant exposure. The lawyers returned 79.6% of 1321 survey
s, of which 1.47% were positive for significant exposure. Chi-square a
nalysis indicated no significant difference between the two groups (P
= 0.14).