Awareness About the Specialty of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery among the Medical Fraternity in South India: A KAP Survey

Introduction: Oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) is one of the oldest specialties of dentistry and is often considered as a bridge between medicine and dentistry. Yet, the specialty is less popular among both the general public and the non-dental healthcare professionals when compared to other surgical specialties. Methodology: A questionnaire survey was conducted to better understand the knowledge, attitude and practice of medical professionals with respect to the specialty of OMFS in South India. It included 19 questions exclusive of demographic data and 202 medical students and practitioners participated in the survey. Results: Majority of the participants acknowledged the expertise of an OMF surgeon in performing routine dentoalveolar procedures and treating maxillofacial trauma while they were skeptical about the surgeon's ability to perform other supposedly complex procedures. Their overall awareness about the specialty was low. Conclusion: It is not only important to educate the general public about the specialty but also promote the scope of OMFS among other healthcare communities and establish an unprejudiced understanding and recognition of each specialty's contribution in healthcare.