Approach of a Group of Pre-Clinical Dentistry Students to Dental Trauma: A Survey Study

Abstract

Background: There are studies evaluating the approach of parents and teachers to dental traumas, but dentistry students who have not been trained in dental trauma have not been evaluated yet. The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge and attitudes of pre-clinical dental students who have not received dental trauma training, regarding to the dental trauma. Methods: This study included first, second and third grade dentistry students who did not receive dental trauma training at a dentistry faculty and agreed to participate in the survey. In order to evaluate students' approaches to dental injuries, previously applied and valid questionnaires were modified and used. A questionnaire containing twelve questions was given to the students to fill. The results were calculated as a percentage. Chi-square test was used to analyze the data. Results: 277 students from 364 agreed to participate in a questionnaire, of these 108 (39 %) were in first grade, 85 (30.7 %) were in second grade and 84(30.3 %) were in third grade. Only 55 (19.8 %) subjects had received knowledge about dental injuries, with 31 of them being instructed by a dentist. 56.7 % of the students chose to reimplant an avulsed permanent tooth but 63.9 % of the students not preferred to reimplant an primary tooth. 29.6 % of the students preferred milk for transporting an avulsed tooth and 23.4 % suggested to transport in saliva or mouth. Conclusion: Dental students generally had a right approach about traumatic dental injuries but they had got some false and incomplete knowledge. © 2021, Selcuk University. All rights reserved.