title: Smartphone App as an aid in the emergency management of avulsed teeth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The initial response by bystanders to an avulsed tooth is a significant factor that can affect its survival and long-term outcome. This study was to assess the knowledge of emergency management of tooth avulsion in a group of schoolteachers and to compare the effects of three different educational interventions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Baseline knowledge was assessed using a questionnaire developed for this study. The same questionnaire was used to test changes in the knowledge level following each educational intervention. A convenience sample of elementary and intermediate school teachers (n = 87) participated in this study. Teachers were divided into three groups: Group 1 (Lecture only) was given a 30-min lecture on the emergency management of tooth avulsion. Their knowledge was assessed immediately after the lecture. Group 2 (Lecture and App), the same lecture was given, but participants also had access to a smartphone App, Dental Trauma App (Dental Trauma AB, Linköping, Sweden), when assessed on their knowledge after the lecture. Group 3 (App), this group was only given the smartphone App to explore and had access to that when being assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All three interventions increased the knowledge of tooth avulsion management. A marked increase in the knowledge, regardless of the type of intervention, was observed in the following areas: handling the tooth on the ground (16-96.8%); holding the tooth while being cleansed (19.1-62.5%); and on the best storage medium (10.1-59.3%). Participants using the App only had a significantly higher mean score than participants receiving the lecture only (group 3; P = 0.019) and participants subjected to both Lecture and App (group 1; P = 0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Dental Trauma App alone is an effective means of providing accessible knowledge to guide laypeople in managing tooth avulsion, and it can be superior to a lecture-based delivery of information.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Health Sciences Center, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Ala
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Musawi
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Preventive Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Health Sciences Center, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Sane
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Health Sciences Center, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Andersson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D005178:Faculty / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007730:Kuwait; D008297:Male; D063731:Mobile Applications; D000068997:Smartphone; D014084:Tooth Avulsion / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: App; dental trauma; emergency management; replantation; tooth avulsion