IADR Abstract Archives
Exploring Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Dental Trauma First-aid in Schools
Objectives: To establish if schools in north-east England have dental trauma (DT) first-aid policies. This study assesses (i) limiting factors and attitudes of staff towards dental trauma management, (ii) what current levels of training exist and (iii) preferred methods of future training and protocol implementation.
Methods: A 3 month cross-sectional study (nursery, primary, middle, secondary, 6th form and special schools) in all 12 north-eastern Local Education Authorities (LEAs). School Lists were obtained from each LEA and permission to involve schools was obtained from LEA leads. The on-line questionnaire was initially piloted, and designed to be completed by all school staff, particularly classroom and/or physical education (PE) teachers. The two-part questionnaire assessed (i) staff DT training and management and DT occurrence and (ii) teachers’ current knowledge and how staff might respond to ‘real-life’ scenarios.
Results: 1,112 schools were contacted in 12 LEAs. Responses were obtained from 315 schools (teachers, classroom assistants, safeguarding teams, administrators and head-teachers). Not all questionnaires had 100% completion. 89.8% of schools did not include DT in first-aid training but 19.7% of respondents recalled DT occurring in their school. Very few schools (6.7%) had an emergency DT policy in place and only 9.5% of respondents reported that mouth-guards were a requirement for school contact-sports.
96.8% reported a fractured tooth could be saved with 66.6% choosing to store the fragment in milk. 72.5% felt the crown was the safest place to hold an avulsed tooth with 66.6% wishing to store the tooth in milk. 87.5% did not feel comfortable managing DT first-aid in school. 94.4% of respondents would value training.
Conclusions: Few schools have a DT policy and staff have an unsatisfactory level of knowledge, but there appears a baseline working-knowledge of tooth storage media. A standardised approach for training staff may improve the management of DT sustained during school hours.
Methods: A 3 month cross-sectional study (nursery, primary, middle, secondary, 6th form and special schools) in all 12 north-eastern Local Education Authorities (LEAs). School Lists were obtained from each LEA and permission to involve schools was obtained from LEA leads. The on-line questionnaire was initially piloted, and designed to be completed by all school staff, particularly classroom and/or physical education (PE) teachers. The two-part questionnaire assessed (i) staff DT training and management and DT occurrence and (ii) teachers’ current knowledge and how staff might respond to ‘real-life’ scenarios.
Results: 1,112 schools were contacted in 12 LEAs. Responses were obtained from 315 schools (teachers, classroom assistants, safeguarding teams, administrators and head-teachers). Not all questionnaires had 100% completion. 89.8% of schools did not include DT in first-aid training but 19.7% of respondents recalled DT occurring in their school. Very few schools (6.7%) had an emergency DT policy in place and only 9.5% of respondents reported that mouth-guards were a requirement for school contact-sports.
96.8% reported a fractured tooth could be saved with 66.6% choosing to store the fragment in milk. 72.5% felt the crown was the safest place to hold an avulsed tooth with 66.6% wishing to store the tooth in milk. 87.5% did not feel comfortable managing DT first-aid in school. 94.4% of respondents would value training.
Conclusions: Few schools have a DT policy and staff have an unsatisfactory level of knowledge, but there appears a baseline working-knowledge of tooth storage media. A standardised approach for training staff may improve the management of DT sustained during school hours.