Knowledge, attitude and practice towards management of trauma to anterior teeth among faculty members and undergraduate students in dental and medical institute in South India

Introduction: Traumatic dental injuries are common among children owing to their developing neuromusculoskeletal responses. This study aims at assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice towards management of trauma to anterior teeth among faculty members and students of Medical College. Materials and Method: A cross sectional survey with pretested questionnaire was used to assess the demographics of the participants along with their knowledge regarding dental trauma, their attitude and practices to handle them. Total of 200 participants comprising, 150 students and 50 faculty members of the dental institute were part of this study. Descriptive statistics was used to represent each category. Also, inferential statistical methods were used to assess any significant differences between the groups when significance level is kept at 5%. Results: The findings showed that almost 40% of the participants had experienced dental trauma before, the most common trauma that they encountered was tooth fracture. Faculty members had better knowledge score compared to students those who have had previous knowledge before regarding this issue also had better knowledge than their counterpart. Conclusion: The present study showed that the participants have sufficient knowledge about dental trauma, and they showed a positive attitude towards it. However, some were still reluctant to perform dental first aid when required due to the lack of training availability and education. Dental first aid needs to be a part of the curriculum. Training programs are even more helpful, as it will help to build the confidence of the operator. This will create awareness among the public about the importance of managing dental trauma of the anterior teeth.