Crash, bang, wallop: The school nurse's role in the management of dental trauma

Abstract

Initial management of dental trauma has a huge impact on the long-term prognosis of any teeth involved, therefore school nurses play an import role in implementing appropriate first aid. Good management can mean less initial and long-term treatment is required, less time off school and less psychological impact on the child. The International Association of Dental Traumatology (IADT) have created guidelines for trauma management, however, these are targeted to dentists, who are rarely involved in the crucial immediate management stage of dental trauma. This article aims to translate elements of these guidelines to make them more accessible and to support school nurses who are more often involved in the frontline management of dental injuries.