exploring the knowledge of general dentists and dental students in zahedan, regarding mandibular fractures in 2023

Introduction: fractures of the nose and lower jaw are common injuries. given that dentists may encounter these types of injuries, it is crucial to know this area. this study aims to evaluate the level of knowledge among general dentists and dental students from zahedan on the diagnosis and initial management of mandibular fractures.methods: this cross-sectional study included 200 general dentists and final-year dental students who were conveniently selected and examined through a researcher-made questionnaire. to determine and select samples proportional to the population size in each stratum (dentists and students), the quota for each was determined. then, to select samples in each stratum according to the inclusion criteria in an easy and accessible manner, sampling was conducted from each stratum. data were analyzed using spss software (version 26), independent t-test, and chi-square statistical test.results: the mean age of the students was 24.4±6.2 years, while the mean age of the dentists was 36.6±8.4 years. in terms of gender distribution, male students made up 46.2% of the participants, while female students comprised 53.8%. among general dentists, 43.6% were male, and 66.4% were female. the average working experience in general dentists was 9.4±3.1 years. of the participants, 139 (69.5%), 14 (7%), 20 (10%), 18 (9%), and 9 (5.5%) mentioned motor vehicle accidents, fights, sports injuries, falls, and iatrogenicity following surgery as the most common causes of mandibular fractures, respectively. the level of knowledge about fracture management and care was significantly related to job position (p=0.03) and work experience (p=0.04).conclusion: the level of knowledge among dental students and dentists regarding mandibular fractures, their diagnosis, and initial management is inadequate. therefore, students and dentists should be trained in this field before graduation, and their training should be updated regularly.