The Knowledge of Traumatic Dental Injury Management Among Dentists in Casablanca-Settat, Morocco: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on the 2020 International Association of Dental Traumatology (IADT) Guidelines

Background and objective Traumatic dental injuries in children are a major global public health issue and are among the most common orofacial traumas. They compromise oral health and substantially affect children's quality of life. This study aimed to assess the knowledge levels of private dental practitioners based on the 2020 guidelines of the International Association of Dental Traumatology (IADT) to identify existing gaps and propose strategies to improve the management of traumatic dental injuries in permanent teeth among children. Materials and methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among 354 dentists practicing in private clinics in the Casablanca-Settat region, Morocco. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire distributed either in person at dental practices or online through Google Forms. The questionnaire comprised two sections: the first focused on participants' sociodemographic and professional characteristics, while the second included 12 items evaluating the proper management of traumatic dental injuries in children based on the 2020 IADT guidelines. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS Statistics software (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results Of the 384 questionnaires distributed, 354 dentists responded, yielding a response rate of 92.18%. Of note, 83.6% had already treated one case of dental trauma in children, and 9.4% of them had treated 10 or more cases in the last 12 months. The rate of correct answers was poor, or even average, for the questions on dental expulsion: immediate management (39.8%), the solution for preserving the expelled tooth (62.4%), the optimal time to start endodontic treatment on an immature tooth (56.4%), mature tooth (33.3%), and finally, the duration of retention in the case of dental expulsion without associated alveolar fracture (23.2%). As far as fractures are concerned, more satisfactory rates were observed: the course of action to be taken in the event of a root fracture (67.5%), and in the case of an amelodentin fracture with pulp exposure (66.7%), the duration of follow-up for simple fractures (75.4%), and the factors to be taken into consideration in the event of a corono-radicular fracture (88.4%). Low good response rates were observed for subjects with lateral dislocation with associated alveolar fracture, intrusion, and subluxation (14.4%, 32.8% and 49.4% respectively). Conclusions The level of knowledge of dentists in the Casablanca-Settat region in terms of dental trauma in children was found to be acceptable. However, enhancing this knowledge remains important, particularly through encouraging the use of the Dental Trauma Guide (DTG) and promoting continuing education and scientific research.