Objective: To evaluate the influence of two different modes for delivering guidelines on school teachers' knowledge on emergency treatment for dental injuries.
Design: Cross sectional questionnaire study.
Setting: Primary schools in Dar es Salaam city council in Tanzania.
Participants: Primary school teachers.
Intervention: Provision of guidelines by mail or through seminar or no guidelines (control).
Main outcome measures: Knowledge on emergency management of dental injuries
Results: The teachers did not have adequate knowledge on the emergency management of traumatised teeth. Significant differences were observed between the study groups. Teachers from the seminar group were likely to re-implant an avulsed tooth (five times more likely than the control group) or otherwise would transport it in the recommended medium. No significant differences were observed between the groups on their willingness to take the avulsed tooth to a doctor or dentist or on the method or liquid they would use to clean a dirty avulsed tooth.
Conclusion: Compared to provision of information through mailed guidelines, seminar discussions better improved the school teachers' knowledge regarding emergency treatment for dental injuries.