Contact sensitization in dental technicians with occupational contact dermatitis. Data of the Information Network of Departments of Dermatology (IVDK) 2001–2015

Background: Dental technicians (DTs) are at increased risk for allergic contact sensitization. Objectives: To assess the current spectrum of occupational sensitization in DTs with occupational contact dermatitis (OCD). Methods: A retrospective analysis of Information Network of Departments of Dermatology patch test data from the years 2001–2015 concerning DTs with OCD was performed. Results: Patients of the study group (226 DTs with OCD) were significantly more often diagnosed with allergic contact dermatitis (37.6% versus 18.5%; p = 0.0002) than patients of the control group (124 DTs without OCD). In the study group, positive reactions were most frequently observed to methacrylates and/or acrylates (n = 67). Of these, 61 patients showed positive reactions to at least one of the five most frequent allergens in this group, namely 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, and/or ethylene glycol dimethacrylate. In contrast, no positive reactions to diurethane dimethacrylate (DUDMA) occurred. Among allergens of the German Contact Dermatitis Research Group series ‘dental metals’, positive reactions were less frequent and were mainly to palladium chloride (n = 6). Conclusions: The present data analysis showed that the sensitization spectrum and spectrum of cross-reactivity are largely unchanged as compared with the 1990s. It can be concluded that test recommendations are still valid and useful, except for the methacrylate DUDMA, which could be omitted.