Development of the Multidimensional Scale Related to Infectious Diseases in Dentistry.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop and validate an instrument to assess dentists' adherence to infection control protocols and explore psychological factors related to infectious diseases in dental practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The instrument was developed through phases including context validity, face and semantic analysis, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Internal consistency was evaluated using McDonald's Omega coefficient (omega) and Cronbach's Alpha (alpha). RESULTS: A total of 405 individuals completed the instrument. EFA (n = 135) revealed a four-factor structure (Work Environmental Protection, Disinfection, Team Training, and Fear and Anxiety) with 23 items with factor loadings above 0.60. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value was 0.803, and Bartlett's test of sphericity was significant (chi(2): 2501.136, df:253.000, p < 0.001). CFA (n = 270) confirmed an acceptable model fit: chi(2)/df: 1.75; Comparative Fit Index (CFI): 0.997; Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI): 0.996; Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR): 0.079; Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA): 0.053, supporting the four-factor structure from the EFA. Reliability analysis demonstrated strong internal consistency across all factors (omega and alpha >/= 0.70). CONCLUSION: The developed instrument exhibited appropriate validity, reliability, and internal consistency, providing a suitable tool to evaluate infection control adherence and psychological aspects among dentists facing infectious diseases.