Knowledge and Perception of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery as a Specialty Amongst Dental and Medical Students at a Public University in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): A Comparative Study.

Purpose: Awareness about the oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) specialty in the Gulf Cooperation Council has increased in recent years with the expanding scope of practice of the specialty. Nevertheless, the perception of OMFS has not yet been investigated among healthcare students. The aim of this study was to compare the perceptions and knowledge of dental and medical students about OMFS.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study evaluating 100 dental and 100 medical students attending Kuwait University was conducted using a previously validated survey instrument. Students were instructed to select the most appropriate specialist to treat certain procedures across four disciplines: reconstruction, trauma, pathology and cosmetic procedures. Student year groups were compared statistically using Fisher's exact test.

Results: The responses of both student groups showed disparities, with dental students showing overwhelmingly more awareness of the practice of OMFS. OMFS 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).

Conclusion: Our findings prompt us to revisit our dental and medical school's curriculum to increase the educational content related to OMFS procedures. Additional healthcare promotional campaigns and clinical awareness regarding OMFS are needed among healthcare professionals, university clinics and medical venues.