Knowledge level of primary school teachers regarding traumatic dental injuries and their emergency management before and after receiving an informative leaflet

Abstract – Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate via a questionnaire the knowledge level of primary school teachers in Ankara, Turkey, regarding dental trauma; to inform them on the subject through a leaflet; and to evaluate the effectiveness of the leaflet by reapplying the questionnaire. Materials and methods: A questionnaire was distributed to 500 teachers in seven randomly selected primary schools. The questionnaire consisted of four different scenarios presented with photographs and a total of eight questions on crown fracture, lateral luxation, root fracture, and avulsion. After responding to the questionnaire, teachers were given a leaflet containing information about traumatic dental injuries and their emergency management. After 1 month, the same questionnaire was distributed, and the responses collected. Results: A total of 450 of 500 teachers responded to the questionnaire. Initial responses indicated the knowledge level of teachers to be quite low. Following the distribution of the information leaflet, the rate of correct answers increased for each of the individual questions, and the total scores for the questionnaire increased significantly (P = 0.0001). Conclusion: There is a clear need to inform teachers about traumatic dental injuries. The use of educational leaflets can be a successful and appropriate means of providing teachers with information.