Knowledge, attitude, and perception of oral and maxillofacial surgery specialty amongst healthcare professionals, and the General Public from a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Country

BACKGROUND: Oral and maxillofacial surgery specialty has grown rapidly in Kuwait in recent years. However, the general public and healthcare professionals remain unaware of its expanding scope of practice. The aim of the study is to assess public and professional (dental and medical) perception of the oral and maxillofacial surgical specialty in Kuwait. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study evaluating responses of dental professionals, medical professionals, and general public in Kuwait toward the oral and maxillofacial surgical specialty using a previously validated survey instrument with 100 participants in each group. Participants were asked to choose the most appropriate specialist to treat certain procedures across 4 disciplines: reconstruction, trauma, pathology, and cosmetic. Statistical comparison was conducted between dentists and medical doctors using Fisher’s exact test with a p-value of < 0.05. RESULTS: Disparities were noted each group’s responses. Oral and maxillofacial surgery was preferred overall for most clinical scenarios in trauma (p < 0.001), pathology (p < 0.001), and reconstructive surgery (p < 0.001). Plastic surgery was preferred for cosmetic surgeries (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates the need to increase awareness especially towards cosmetic surgery procedures, and conduct health campaigns regarding oral and maxillofacial surgery among healthcare professionals, especially medical doctors, and the general public.