Can you be more clear in what you mean by "infection rates?"

For example, dental caries (cavities) is an infectious process. For
all people who seek help in a dental school clinic due to having
cavities, their infection rate must be 100% -- or they wouldn't have
cavities.

I don't think that's what you meant. Can you define exactly what kind
of information you seek?

- dentaldoc

    What kind of infection rates--colds and flu?
    "Infection rates" are pretty useless in an outpatient setting unless
you set strict parameters to measure.  Most states have mandatory
reporting of some infections (say, tuberculosis) but there is no
assurance that patients will be honest when giving a medical history
(and dental school will not to my knowledge require elaborate clinical
testing of incoming patients for infectious or other diseases).
    As far as surgical outcomes, I'm not aware that there has ever been
routine reporting of postoperative infection incidents in dental school
based clinics for periodontal, endodontic, or oral surgical procedures.
    If anyone knows anything to the contrary, I would be interested in
hearing about it.

Steve