Usability Evaluation and Longitudinal Educational Outcomes of the ToothSOS Application for Parental Emergency Management of Traumatic Dental Injuries.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Appropriate first-aid management of traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) is highly time-sensitive and critically influences prognosis. Parents frequently represent the first point of contact following injury. Although the ToothSOS mobile application (App) is based on current guidelines of the International Association of Dental Traumatology, evidence integrating usability assessment using validated instruments with longitudinal knowledge retention in parental populations remains limited. This study evaluated the usability of the ToothSOS App using the validated System Usability Scale (SUS) and examined parental knowledge gain and retention over time.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

In this prospective longitudinal questionnaire-based study, parents were assessed at baseline (T0), immediately after application use (T1), and one month later (T2). Knowledge of fracture and avulsion management was measured using standardized true-false items. Perceived usability, the primary outcome, was assessed using the SUS. Nonparametric repeated-measures analyses were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 149 parents completed all assessments. The ToothSOS App demonstrated high perceived usability, with a mean SUS score of 78.4 ± 8.3, exceeding the established benchmark for above-average usability. Knowledge scores differed significantly across time points (Friedman χ2 = 187.920, p < 0.001), increasing from a median of 5 (IQR: 2) at baseline to 9 (IQR: 2) at T1 and remaining elevated at 8 (IQR: 3) at one month. The proportion of parents reporting adequate management knowledge increased markedly over time (p < 0.001), accompanied by significant improvements in confidence (p < 0.001). An apparent negative association was observed between baseline knowledge and knowledge retention (Spearman's rho = -0.557, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that the ToothSOS App is not only educationally effective but also highly usable. Integrating usability assessment using a validated measurement instrument with longitudinal evaluation of knowledge and confidence provides a clinically meaningful framework for optimizing digital first-aid tools in time-sensitive dental trauma management.