Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Emergency Department Healthcare Professionals Towards Traumatic Dental Injuries Across Public Hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

TL;DR

This study examines how well emergency healthcare workers in Riyadh manage dental injuries, finding that physicians are more confident than nurses and EMS staff.

Contribution

The study provides recent data on TDI management knowledge among emergency professionals in Saudi Arabia, highlighting gaps in training and confidence.

Findings

Physicians were more likely to feel confident in managing traumatic dental injuries compared to nurses and EMS personnel.

Most respondents reported no formal training in dental trauma management during their education.

Younger professionals were less confident in handling dental trauma cases than older ones.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Emergency department healthcare professionals are often the first to provide treatment, yet studies indicate limited knowledge in Traumatic Dental Injuries (TDIs) management among these providers. While research on TDI management in emergency departments exists globally, recent data from Saudi Arabia is lacking. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of emergency department physicians, nurses, and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) regarding TDIs in three major hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Results: Physicians (46.4%) were significantly (p = 0.02) more likely to respond that they have sufficient knowledge about TDIs compared to nurses and EMS personnel. Of the 221 respondents, 136 (62%) were in the age group of 30–40 years, while females (OR 4.23, p = 0.00, CI 2.29–23.13) and nurses (OR 4.88, p = 0.00, CI 2.39–9.96) were more likely to say ‘No’ for any form of training they received in dental trauma during their education. Young (20–30 years old) professionals (OR 3.70, p = 0.04, CI 1.53–8.92) were less likely to feel confident in managing cases of dental trauma compared to their senior colleagues. Conclusions: In this study, nurses’ and EMS personnel’s knowledge of dental trauma management was poorer than that of physicians. Most respondents reported that dental trauma management was not part of their curriculum or training, which, in turn, was reflected in their low confidence in managing such cases.