Adherence to American Academy of Pediatrics' Oral Health Guidelines by Pediatricians and Pediatrics Residents in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess: (1) oral health knowledge and practices of pediatricians and pediatrics residents in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; (2) their adherence to American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines for caries-risk assess- ment and anticipatory guidance; and (3) the barriers that prevent their adherence to these guidelines.
Methods: Participants completed a questionnaire comprised of three sections: (1) demographic and professional characteristics; (2) oral health knowledge and practices; and (3) adherence to AAP oral health guidelines and barriers against adherence. The association between knowledge and practices scores and demographic and profes- sional characteristics was assessed using Mann Whitney and Kruskal Wallis tests.
Results: One-third of 1,261 pediatricians and pediatrics residents returned complete questionnaires. The mean±(standard deviation [SD]) knowledge score was 5.0±2.4 (out of 12), and the mean±(SD) practice score was 13.4±5.4 (out of 26). Only 8.3 percent reported following the AAP oral health guidelines, and the barriers against this included lack of awareness (60.9 percent), inadequate training on oral health (28.1 percent), and lack of time (21.6 percent).
Conclusion: Most pediatricians and pediatrics residents in Riyadh had inadequate oral health knowledge and practices as well as poor adherence to the AAP guidelines. Unfamiliarity with the guidelines was reported to be the main barrier against following them. (J Dent Child 2019;86(1):10-6)
Received November 1, 2018; Last Revision November 23, 2018; Accepted November 27, 2018.

Assessment of Elementary School Teachers' Level of Knowledge and Attitude regarding Traumatic Dental Injuries in the United Arab Emirates.

INTRODUCTION: In this cross-sectional study, the level of knowledge and attitude of elementary school teachers regarding traumatic dental injuries (TDI) were assessed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed to 330 elementary school teachers in 30 randomly selected schools in the Emirates of Sharjah and Dubai. The questionnaire collected information on participants' demographic characteristics, first aid training, and attitude about emergency management of TDI. RESULTS: 292 teachers (88%) completed the questionnaires; of these, 95% were females, and 50% of the participants had first aid training. Knowledge about tooth avulsion was inadequate, and first aid training was not associated with correct responses to management of avulsed teeth (p > 0.05). A significantly higher percentage of younger teachers (p < 0.05) expressed the need for future education on TDI management. A significantly higher percentage of participants who had an educational position (95%) indicated that they did not have enough knowledge regarding TDI compared to physical education teachers (79%) and administrators (87%) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Elementary school teachers in the UAE have a low level of knowledge regarding the management of dental trauma. Educational programs that address TDI are needed and could improve the elementary school teachers' level of knowledge in emergency management of TDI.