"Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Regarding Emergency Management of Dental Trauma in Children among School Teachers: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study."

Background:Dental trauma is a common occurrence in school-aged children, often resulting from falls, sports injuries, or accidents during school activities. The timely and appropriate management of dental trauma, particularly avulsion and fractures, is critical to ensuring better prognosis and functional outcomes. Since school teachers are usually the first adults present at the time of injury, their knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) regarding emergency dental trauma management can play a pivotal role in reducing complications and improving child health outcomes. Objective:This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices of school teachers regarding the emergency management of dental trauma in children and to identify the gaps in preparedness and the need for targeted training. Methods:A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among 300 school teachers from randomly selected government and private schools in the Ahmednagar District, Maharashtra. A prevalidated and structured questionnaire consisting of 10 knowledge-based questions, 6 attitude statements, and 6 scenario-based practice questions was distributed. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to determine associations between demographic variables and KAP scores. Results:Only 22.7% of participants demonstrated good knowledge of dental trauma management. A large proportion (58%) had poor knowledge, while 19.3% had moderate knowledge. Although 74.3% of the teachers showed a positive attitude toward learning and improving their skills in dental emergency care, 81.6% exhibited inadequate practical knowledge in handling real-life dental trauma situations. Prior exposure to first-aid or dental training significantly correlated with higher KAP scores (p < 0.05). Conclusion:There exists a critical gap between teachers’ attitude and their actual knowledge and practices regarding dental trauma management. Structured, school-based training programs focusing on dental emergency care should be implemented to empower teachers and enhance their role as effective first responders in pediatric dental emergencies.