Knowledge, attitude, and clinical practices regarding traumatic dental injuries among clinical dental students : a cross-sectional study in Sudan

Abstract

Traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) are common dental emergencies that may affect both hard and soft tissues. Immediate and accurate management along with adequate knowledge of International Association of Dental Traumatology (IADT) guidelines is essential to minimize long-term complications. Clinical dental students play a pivotal role in the immediate and long-term management of dental trauma. Therefore, the study aimed to assess knowledge, attitude and practice of Sudanese clinical dental students regarding TDIs. An observational cross-sectional study was conducted among Sudanese clinical-year dental students from public and private universities. A self-administered questionnaire developed based on IADT guidelines and previous literature was used to collect data from 344 participants using convenience sampling. Descriptive statistics were used for knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) scores and participant characteristics. Median cut-off values were used to categorize KAP scores. Chi-square and Mann–Whitney U tests were used to assess associations and compare scores, respectively. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Out of 344 completed questionnaires, (59%) 203 of participants showed overall good knowledge scores with knowledge levels being significantly higher among female, public university, and fifth-year students compared to their respective counterparts ( p = 0.003, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively. Only (39%) 134 of participants showed an overall positive attitude, with a significantly higher proportion among public university students ( p < 0.001). Overall, (48.5%)of participants demonstrated high practice scores. Familiarity with the IADT guidelines was reported by (50.9%) of participants. Traditional classroom teaching was the most commonly reported learning source (59.8), while emergency treatment was the most preferred learning area (83.8%). The findings of this study indicate that Sudanese clinical dental students demonstrated a good overall level of knowledge regarding the management of TDIs, however, the overall positive attitude and high practice scores toward their management remained relatively low, nevertheless, the results revealed a discrepancy between theoretical knowledge and clinical practice competence.