title: Knowledge about tooth avulsion and its management among dental assistants in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies evaluating dental assistants' knowledge about tooth avulsion and its management are rare. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of knowledge about tooth avulsion and its management among dental assistants in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and to assess its relationship with their educational background.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sampling methodology was employed for sample selection. Over a period of four months starting in February, 2013, 691 pretested 17-item questionnaires were distributed. A total of 498 questionnaires were returned for an overall response rate of 72.1%. Six questions were related to knowledge about permanent tooth avulsion and one question was related to knowledge about primary tooth avulsion. Correct answers to these questions were assigned one point each, and based on this scoring system, an overall knowledge score was calculated. An analysis of covariance was used to test the association between the level of knowledge (total score) and the educational qualifications of the respondents (dental degree and others). A P-value of 0.05 was considered the threshold for statistical significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of the respondents (n = 387; 77.7%) were non-Saudis (377 were from the Philippines), and 79.1% (n = 306) of the Filipinos had a dental degree. The question about recommendations for an avulsed tooth that is dirty elicited the highest number of correct responses (n = 444; 89.2%), whereas the question about the best storage media elicited the lowest number of correct responses (n = 192; 38.6%). The overall mean score for knowledge about tooth avulsion was 6.27 ± 1.74. The mean knowledge score among the respondents with a dental degree was 6.63 ± 1.37, whereas that among the respondents with other qualifications was 5.71 ± 2.08.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The educational qualifications of the surveyed dental assistants were strongly correlated with the level of knowledge about tooth avulsion and its management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics and Community Dentistry, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. halawanyhksu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hassan Suliman
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Halawany
authors.forename: Yousra Hussain
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: AlJazairy
authors.forename: Nawaf Sulaiman
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Alhussainan
authors.forename: Nassr
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: AlMaflehi
authors.forename: Vimal
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.forename: Nimmi Biju
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Abraham
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003726:Dental Assistants / Q000193:education*; D004497:Education, Dental; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011364:Professional Practice; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D013997:Time Factors; D014084:Tooth Avulsion / Q000628:therapy*; D014090:Tooth Replantation; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000293:injuries
chemical_list: D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions