Knowledge and Self-Efficacy Regarding Traumatic Dental Injury Management Among Dutch Dentists: A Cross-Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) represent a significant number of oral region injuries. Despite existing guidelines, studies suggest dentists have insufficient knowledge of TDI management. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess knowledge and self-efficacy regarding TDI management among a sample of dentists in the Netherlands. METHODS: An online questionnaire was distributed to a random sample of 600 dentists selected by the Royal Dutch Dental Association. The questionnaire collected demographic and professional characteristics. To assess self-efficacy, the general self-efficacy scale was adjusted for traumatic dental injuries (TDI-GSES), with scores ranging form 10 to 40. To measure knowledge about the management of TDI cases, the Traumatic Dental Injury Questionnaire (TDIQ) was administered with a score range from 0 to 11. To analyse the data, Mann-Whitney U tests and Student t tests were used for binary independent variables. For independent variables with more than 2 categories, Kruskal-Wallis, 1-way analysis of variance, and Spearman rank correlations were performed. Linear regression was done to assess whether there was an association between knowledge and self-efficacy. RESULTS: The response rate was 10%. The median TDIQ score was 9.0 (interquartile range, 8-10), with men having slightly higher scores than women (P = .008). The mean (SD) TDI-GSES score was 32.4 (4.3; 95% CI, 31.2-33.5). There was no association between TDI-GSES scores and TDIQ scores. However, years of professional experience, respondents' perception of a need to improve accessibility to the TDI guidelines, and their perception of a need for additional educational programs were associated with self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: The level of knowledge and self-efficacy regarding TDI management among the respondents seems satisfactory. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The findings highlight the clinical importance of accessible guidelines and continued education to support dentists in the timely and appropriate management of TDIs.