title: Professional knowledge of accident and emergency doctors on the management of dental injuries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Accident and emergency (A&E) doctors are often the first to assess dental and dento-alveolar injuries. Early diagnosis and appropriate management is essential for a good long-term prognosis of restored dental aesthetics and function.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate A&E doctors' knowledge of the management of dental injuries, and appropriate onward referral.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire sent to A&E doctors of all grades at all nine A&E hospitals in South Wales over a consecutive five-month period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data relating to the level of knowledge of emergency management of dental trauma were analysed. The relationship between doctor's level of experience and previous training received on the management of common dento-alveolar trauma was considered. Data were analysed for Pearson correlation coefficients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate to the questionnaire was 72% (n = 118). There was a negligible correlation between the career grade of the doctors and their knowledge of the management of dental injuries (r = 0.128, p < 0.001). A strong positive linear correlation (r = 0.928, p < 0.001) was found between those with prior training and their knowledge of dental injury management.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings from this study suggest that A&E doctors have only partial knowledge of the management of dental injuries, though appropriate training can significantly increase knowledge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Guy's Hospital, London, UK. inasnasr@hotmail.com
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Nasr
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Queen Mary's Hospital Sidcup, Kent, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papineni McIntosh
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Department, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff South Wales, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mustafa
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Department, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff South Wales, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cronin
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D060731:Emergency Responders / Q000193:education*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D010820:Physicians; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018677:Tooth Injuries / Q000628:therapy*