Due to the method of transmission of HIV virus through direct contact with blood, the risk for cross-infection comes into particular focus in medical and dental practices [3] . Over 90% of the HIV infections occurring among health care workers annually stem from developing countries where occupational safety is a neglected issue [4] . Although the risk of transmission in health care settings has been recognized to be low, fear of illness, contagion and death has influenced health workers' attitudes and thus the quality of care provided towards patients with HIV [5] [6] [7] . Increased personal risk, lack of necessary skills, knowledge gaps, difficulties in dealing with staff worries and concern about loosing other patients are the most frequent complaints [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] . A recent publication focusing on dental students in Khartoum, Sudan, revealed that half of the participants reported a need for further education across HIV and AIDS related issues, suggesting they are not adequately prepared for treating HIV infected patients [8] . Unacceptable knowledge and practice as well as gaps in the availability and access to policies and protocols on the part of health care workers have been observed in several sub-Sahara African countries [11, [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] . According to the World Health Organization (WHO), dentists have a professional and ethical responsibility to treat patients with HIV and AIDS [18] [19] [20] . The importance of training dental and medical staff to provide health care to HIV infected patients at the same level as non-infected people have been widely recognized [17, 19] . As future health care workers, the attitudes of dental and medical students towards delivering high quality care for HIV infected patients are of particular concern. Effective promotion of quality health care delivery in the context of HIV and AIDS requires a thorough understanding of the psychosocial determinants of students' intention to provide care to HIV infected patients. Ajzen's theory of planned behaviour (TPB) is a valuable model for identifying the determinants of health behaviours, including quality health care provision for patients with HIV and AIDS [21] .