Management of Dental Trauma of Senior-Year Medical Students Attending Medical School in Tokat

Abstract

Aim: Since trauma often requires immediate intervention, the initial care of patients is typically provided by emergency room physicians. Emergency departments prioritize the treatment of conditions that threaten the patient's overall health, which can lead to overlooking the treatment of traumatic dental injuries. Early intervention in dental and surrounding tissue injuries is crucial for prognosis. Therefore, it is important to assess the knowledge and awareness of dental trauma among medical doctors, who are often the first responders in trauma cases. The aim of this study is to evaluate the knowledge and approaches of senior-year medical students regarding dental traumas in Tokat city, Türkiye. Materials and Methods: For this cross-sectional study, a validated questionnaire consisting of 10 questions previously used in similar studies was used. Students completed the questionnaire online using the Google® Forms program. The data obtained in this study were analyzed using the SPSS v23 (Chicago, IL, USA) software package program. Frequency and percentage values were obtained. Results: While 7.1% of the students stated that they would reimplant the avulsed tooth, 71.4% stated that they would refer the patient to the dentist. While 42.8% of the students preferred sterile saline solution for handling the avulsed tooth, 20.2% preferred wet gauze. While 85.7% of the students found the level of knowledge about oral and dental injuries insufficient, 71.4% stated that they would like to participate in an educational program on this subject. Conclusions: It has been observed that senior medical school students have insufficient knowledge about intervening in injuries to teeth and surrounding tissues. Curriculum regulation and training programs are required to improve students' knowledge and awareness about injuries to teeth and surrounding tissues. Students should also be informed that they can access the free IADT ToothSOS Mobile App on the International Association for Dental Trauma (IADT) website (http://www.iadt-dental-trauma.org), which can guide them on emergency response to dental trauma when they encounter dental trauma.