Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of dental residents in managing traumatic dental injuries

BACKGROUND: Traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) are common emergencies, particularly in children and adolescents, requiring prompt and effective management to ensure favorable outcomes. However, dental residents' preparedness in managing TDIs remains understudied, especially in the context of educational and clinical practice gaps. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of dental residents regarding TDI management, with a focus on identifying training deficiencies and informing curricular improvements. METHODS: A survey was conducted among 256 dental residents from the School of Stomatology, Wuhan University, China. A validated electronic questionnaire was distributed to assess demographic characteristics, clinical exposure, knowledge competency, professional attitudes, and practice patterns related to TDIs. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. RESULTS: While 88.7% of residents encountered TDIs, only 67.2% felt confident in management protocols, with significant disparities across specialties (P= 0.038). Traditional classroom teaching was the primary learning method (87.7%), whereas online resources were less frequently used (9.7% in Oral Surgery). Only 28.1% expressed satisfaction with traditional teaching methods. Although 94.5% acknowledged the importance of pulp preservation, 6.9% of General Dentistry residents held uncertain attitudes. Clinical independence varied, with 63.8% of General Dentistry residents occasionally managing cases independently, compared to 77.4% of Oral Surgery residents who never did. CONCLUSIONS: Dental residents recognize the clinical importance of TDI management, but gaps in knowledge translation, uneven specialty training, and reliance on outdated pedagogies hinder clinical readiness. Reforms incorporating blended learning, simulation-based training, and competency-based assessments are urgently needed to optimize residents' education and patient care.