Effect of dental trauma management resources on dental practitioners' confidence and knowledge: A pilot cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The knowledge of standardized care guidelines is critical to the confidence of practitioners in managing dental trauma. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the awareness, use and impact of the International Association of Dental Traumatology guidelines, and the online Dental Trauma Guide on general dental practitioners' self-reported confidence and knowledge in managing traumatic dental injuries in the primary and permanent dentitions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, pre-piloted, 27-item self-administered questionnaire survey was distributed electronically to general dental practitioners' working within five member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries (Kingdom of Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar) between September and December 2020. Data were collected and analysed using descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon Signed Rank test analysis for relevant comparisons. RESULTS: A total of 294 respondents completed the survey, with the majority being from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (47.4%) and Qatar (27.3%). A lack of evidence-based knowledge in managing traumatic dental injuries was evident among more than half of the respondents. Respondents who were cognizant of the recent International Association of Dental Traumatology guidelines (2020) and those who use the Dental Trauma Guide routinely demonstrated a higher self-reported confidence level in managing both simple and complex primary dentition trauma, as well as simple traumatic dental injuries in the permanent dentition (p < .05). CONCLUSION: This survey highlights critical deficiencies in the knowledge of a large number of the respondents in the management of dental trauma which is likely to cause irreversible long-term patient effects.

The prevalence and distribution of nonsyndromic hyperdontia in a group of Qatari orthodontic and pediatric patients.

OBJECTIVE: There is no data specific to the Qatari population on the prevalence and distribution of hyperdontia. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and distribution of hyperdontia in the permanent teeth among a group of Qatari sample and to compare the present results with findings from other populations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Records of 1269 Qatari patients (674 females; mean age 11.8 ± 2.3 and 595 males; mean age 11.4 ± 2.2 years) which included panoramic radiographs were examined to identify hyperdontia in the permanent dentition. Supernumerary teeth were assessed for their location, morphology, number, and whether impacted or not. RESULTS: The prevalence of hyperdontia was 1.6% (females 0.7% and males 0.9%; P < 0169). The most common type of supernumerary teeth was the supplemental (45.5%), followed by the conical (40%). Of the supplemental teeth, the mandibular incisor was the most prevalent (60%), followed by the premolar (20%). No significant difference in the prevalence was found between the maxilla and mandible. More than half of supernumerary teeth identified were impacted (54.5%). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of hyperdontia in a group of Qatari population was within the normal range of the majority of published studies in the literature. Although not significant, hyperdontia cases were more prevalent in male patients.