Oral Health and Maxillofacial Research

ABSTRACT

Objective: To assess the perception and awareness of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) specialty among medical postgraduate trainees.

Material and methods: This survey was conducted at Qazi hussain medical Complex, Nowshera, employing non-probability sampling technique. A questionnaire on OMFS perception and awareness was manually distributed to 188 participants. Participants meeting inclusion criteria were second-year or senior trainees of the FCPS program, Pakistani nationals, and engaged in medical or allied field training. Exclusions comprised surgery and allied trainees, individuals treated by maxillofacial surgeons, and those with a maxillofacial surgeon first-degree relative. The questionnaire featured scenarios related to oral and maxillofacial surgery, assessing participants' perceptions of appropriate specialties for various clinical situations. Data analysis, included mean age computation, gender and awareness level distribution analysis, and chi- square tests for gender-awareness association.

Results: The mean age was 30.79±3.54 years. Males (n=120, 63.83%) were more than females (n=68, 36.17%). While 47.87% identified oral and maxillofacial surgery for temporomandibular joint issues, 51.60% recognized it for cleft lip and palate repairs. Similarly, 44.68% considered OMFS for facial space infections, 44.15% for jaw deformities, and 44.68% for wisdom tooth extraction. Gender disparities were evident in TMJ problem management (p=0.019).

Conclusion: Medical postgraduates lack awareness of the diverse services offered by OMFS, emphasizing the need to enhance public perception, raise awareness, and improve healthcare accessibility and efficiency.

KEYWORDS

1. Maxillofacial surgery
2. Awareness
3. Post Graduate
4. Trainees
5. Residents