Impact of educational intervention on dental students’ competence in managing injuries caused by sharp objects: a quasi-experimental study

Abstract Introduction Sharp object injuries (SOI) pose significant risks to dental healthcare workers. This study evaluated the impact of an educational intervention on dental students’ knowledge, attitudes, and practice habits regarding SOI management. Methods A quasi-experimental before-after stud...

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Main Authors: Mahdieh Zarabadipour, Negar Gholizadeh, Monirsadat Mirzadeh, Erfan Khorasani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-05-01
Series:BMC Medical Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-07271-y
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author Mahdieh Zarabadipour
Negar Gholizadeh
Monirsadat Mirzadeh
Erfan Khorasani
author_facet Mahdieh Zarabadipour
Negar Gholizadeh
Monirsadat Mirzadeh
Erfan Khorasani
author_sort Mahdieh Zarabadipour
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Introduction Sharp object injuries (SOI) pose significant risks to dental healthcare workers. This study evaluated the impact of an educational intervention on dental students’ knowledge, attitudes, and practice habits regarding SOI management. Methods A quasi-experimental before-after study was conducted among 87 dental students (59.8% female, 40.2% male; mean age: 23.45 years) in clinical years (DDS 2022–2025) at Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Participants completed a validated 34-item questionnaire (10 knowledge, 7 attitude, 17 practice questions) before and after watching a 3-minute 36-second animated video on SOI management and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Data were analyzed using SPSS 26 with chi-square, ANOVA, and Bonferroni correction (p < 0.0031). Results This study revealed significant differences in immediate post-injury performance knowledge (P = 0.001), PEP awareness (P = 0.025), and needle-capping (P = 0.001). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the extent of injury with sharp objects based on sex or age. There was a significant relationship between students’ year of university entry and the extent of injury with a sharp object (P = 0.025). Most students (67.8%) did not know how to function correctly after a sharp object injury, and the highest number of sharp object injuries occurred in the 7th semester. Over 60% of injuries went unreported, primarily due to perceived insignificance (44.1%). Conclusions Structured educational interventions, particularly visual aids, enhance SOI management knowledge. However, long-term behavioral changes and reporting compliance require further investigation. Integrating SOI training into dental curricula and fostering a culture of incident reporting are critical to mitigating risks.
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spelling doaj-art-2f29e7b1756548e7aa1502a2ef8e0c302025-08-20T03:53:13ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202025-05-012511810.1186/s12909-025-07271-yImpact of educational intervention on dental students’ competence in managing injuries caused by sharp objects: a quasi-experimental studyMahdieh Zarabadipour0Negar Gholizadeh1Monirsadat Mirzadeh2Erfan Khorasani3Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical SciencesStudent Research Committee, Dentistry School, Qazvin University of Medical SciencesCommunity Medicine, Metabolic Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical SciencesStudent Research Committee, Dentistry School, Qazvin University of Medical SciencesAbstract Introduction Sharp object injuries (SOI) pose significant risks to dental healthcare workers. This study evaluated the impact of an educational intervention on dental students’ knowledge, attitudes, and practice habits regarding SOI management. Methods A quasi-experimental before-after study was conducted among 87 dental students (59.8% female, 40.2% male; mean age: 23.45 years) in clinical years (DDS 2022–2025) at Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Participants completed a validated 34-item questionnaire (10 knowledge, 7 attitude, 17 practice questions) before and after watching a 3-minute 36-second animated video on SOI management and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Data were analyzed using SPSS 26 with chi-square, ANOVA, and Bonferroni correction (p < 0.0031). Results This study revealed significant differences in immediate post-injury performance knowledge (P = 0.001), PEP awareness (P = 0.025), and needle-capping (P = 0.001). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the extent of injury with sharp objects based on sex or age. There was a significant relationship between students’ year of university entry and the extent of injury with a sharp object (P = 0.025). Most students (67.8%) did not know how to function correctly after a sharp object injury, and the highest number of sharp object injuries occurred in the 7th semester. Over 60% of injuries went unreported, primarily due to perceived insignificance (44.1%). Conclusions Structured educational interventions, particularly visual aids, enhance SOI management knowledge. However, long-term behavioral changes and reporting compliance require further investigation. Integrating SOI training into dental curricula and fostering a culture of incident reporting are critical to mitigating risks.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-07271-yDental studentsEducational interventionNeedle stick injuriesSharp object injuries
spellingShingle Mahdieh Zarabadipour
Negar Gholizadeh
Monirsadat Mirzadeh
Erfan Khorasani
Impact of educational intervention on dental students’ competence in managing injuries caused by sharp objects: a quasi-experimental study
BMC Medical Education
Dental students
Educational intervention
Needle stick injuries
Sharp object injuries
title Impact of educational intervention on dental students’ competence in managing injuries caused by sharp objects: a quasi-experimental study
title_full Impact of educational intervention on dental students’ competence in managing injuries caused by sharp objects: a quasi-experimental study
title_fullStr Impact of educational intervention on dental students’ competence in managing injuries caused by sharp objects: a quasi-experimental study
title_full_unstemmed Impact of educational intervention on dental students’ competence in managing injuries caused by sharp objects: a quasi-experimental study
title_short Impact of educational intervention on dental students’ competence in managing injuries caused by sharp objects: a quasi-experimental study
title_sort impact of educational intervention on dental students competence in managing injuries caused by sharp objects a quasi experimental study
topic Dental students
Educational intervention
Needle stick injuries
Sharp object injuries
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-07271-y
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