Effect of an educational program on teachers’ knowledge and attitude regarding emergency care of dental trauma

Abstract

Background Traumatic dental injuries are a serious concern and they were most common in schools. Many school-aged suffer some type of trauma to their primary or permanent teeth. The timely and effective response of skilled teachers is crucial for the prognosis of avulsed teeth. Aim To evaluate the effect of an educational program on teachers’ knowledge and attitude regarding emergency care of dental trauma. Study design Quasi-experimental pre/post-test. Setting Nine schools were selected by stratified random sampling technique. Sample A total of 300 teachers were selected randomly. Patients and method Two tools; tool one interview questionnaire divided into: Part (I): Personal and demographic data, Part (II): Teachers’ knowledge regarding emergency care of dental trauma. Tool two: Teachers’ attitude toward their role in emergency care of dental trauma. Results It was found that 54.7% of teachers aged greater than or equal to 40 years, 64.3% of the selected teachers were male. Also, 91% of them had poor knowledge in preprogram which became 3% after program application and 38.3% of teachers had a positive attitude toward dental trauma in preprogram increased to be 84.7% postprogram intervention. Conclusion Teachers’ knowledge and attitude about emergency care of dental trauma was significantly improved after the educational program. Recommendations Continuous health education programs for schools’ teachers to increase their knowledge concerning the emergency management of traumatic dental injuries.