Abstract
Effective management of medical waste management (MWM) in dental clinics is essential for occupational safety and environmental sustainability, yet standardized training programs tailored to professional roles remain understudied. This quasi-experimental pre-post study evaluated a novel role-specific training intervention's impact on knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among 187 dental professionals (80 dentists, 60 nurses, 47 dental students) at a dental hospital. Participants underwent training aligned with WHO guidelines and China's Medical Waste Management Regulations (Order No. 380), with KAP assessed via validated questionnaires (Cronbach's α = 0.85) pre- and post-training. Baseline knowledge varied significantly by role (dentists: 65.2% vs. students: 52.0%, p < 0.01). Post-training analyses revealed substantial improvements: knowledge scores increased from 60.2 to 91.2% (Δ + 30.7%, p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 1.81), attitudes improved by 17.3 points (d = 1.66), and practices by 22.0 points (d = 1.84). Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA demonstrated significant time × group interactions for knowledge (F(2,184) = 4.9, p = 0.03, η(2)=0.05) and practices (F(2,184) = 5.7, p = 0.02, η(2)=0.06), with dental students showing maximal gains (knowledge Δ + 25.0%, p = 0.002 vs. dentists; practices Δ + 24.0%, p = 0.004). Nurses achieved marked practice compliance improvements (Δ + 20.0%), surpassing prior reports in general healthcare settings. Demographic factors (gender/age) did not moderate outcomes. These findings underscore the efficacy of role-specific education in bridging competency gaps, particularly for early-career professionals. The large effect sizes (d = 1.3-2.3) and 30.7% absolute knowledge gain highlight scalable strategies to align dental training with global MWM standards. Integration of such programs into dental curricula and mandating of periodic refresher courses are advocated to sustain compliance and mitigate public health risks.