The state of Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology in the Arab Middle East

Khoury, Zaid H.; Sultan, Ahmed S.

doi:10.1016/j.sdentj.2019.12.004

Cited by 5 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 3 publications

(3 reference statements)

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“…Additionally, health care practitioners, including dentists, implemented virtual consultations and communication applications to address patients' chief complaints [23]. Due to a shortage of oral medicine specialists, Saudi Arabia was one country that started using tele-oral medicine even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic to address this demand and patients' needs [8,9]. However, the demand has increased since, as reported by 16.3% of the study participants, and has reached maximum capacity at each health care institute.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Due to the shortage of oral medicine specialists in Saudi Arabia, this study aims to evaluate the utility and effectiveness of tele-oral medicine, focusing on its role in addressing the challenges of limited access to oral medicine specialists in various settings, including rural areas. It seeks to assess how tele-oral medicine can aid in the management of oral lesions, facilitate prioritized referrals for critical cases, and enhance the delivery of dental care, ultimately contributing to more efficient and accessible oral healthcare [8][9][10]. This paper pioneers the simulation of real clinical oral medicine consultation scenarios, considering selected cases to cover all possible aspects, including patients taking images.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessing Tele-Oral Medicine in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study on Specialists’ Experiences and Effectiveness in Oral Healthcare

Akeel,

Almazrooa,

Ali

et al. 2023

Healthcare

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Introduction: Teledentistry is an emerging tool to exchange medical information and clinical images to facilitate the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of oral diseases and patient assurance and education. Considering the shortage of oral medicine specialists in Saudi Arabia, this study aims to assess the experiences of dental specialists with tele-oral medicine and its potential applicability in addressing this shortage. Materials and methods: This was a pilot, cross-sectional study conducted among specialists in the field of oral medicine from January 2020 to March 2020. A total of 16 preselected cases with oral lesions, including clinical history and images, were developed, validated, and shared via email with study participants. Each case included questions on differential diagnosis, provisional diagnosis, and management. The responses were recorded, analyzed, and presented as means and percentages. Results: A total of 49 subjects participated in this study and more than half were under 40 years of age and two-thirds were women. A total of 23 participants had prior experience with tele-oral medicine, mainly via WhatsApp (95.7%), and these cases were received from patients, their families, friends, or other dentists. For all study cases, the correct diagnosis score ranged between 73.50 and 100%, and correct management ranged between 51 and 98%. Conclusions: Tele-oral medicine is an effective tool that may play an important role in patient management in rural regions with a shortage of oral medicine services. Further studies with larger sample sizes and in collaboration with international centers are warranted to confirm these findings.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing Tele-Oral Medicine in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study on Specialists’ Experiences and Effectiveness in Oral Healthcare

Akeel,

Almazrooa,

Ali

et al. 2023

Healthcare

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“…In a study by Alrashdan et al [34], it was found that senior dental students from a single Jordanian institution demonstrated a lack of interest in postgraduate oral medicine training. This study highlights a greater trend: there are very few established training programs in oral medicine and a lack of career guidance regarding oral medicine opportunities, thus affecting the desire of dental graduates to pursue this field [35]. Training in oral medicine allows graduates to practice in a range of environments, from a medical center to an educational facility to private practice [3].…”

Section: Oral Medicine Residency Programsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Training in oral medicine allows graduates to practice in a range of environments, from a medical center to an educational facility to private practice [3]. In response to the higher demand for oral medicine specialists and the potential graduate interest, dental schools should emphasize oral medicine as a viable career path to upcoming graduates and provide them with information on these opportunities [35]. In Saudi Arabia, nevertheless, the number of new graduates who are interested in the field is experiencing a notable increase [18].…”

Section: Oral Medicine Residency Programsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The nonexistent data regarding the number of oral medicine specialists in Saudi Arabia demonstrate the critical need for such online tools in the region, through which patients and healthcare providers can locate nearby appropriate specialists for their needs [35]. Efficient communication through online platforms will facilitate referrals to oral medicine specialists, thus allowing for further, more rapid adoption.…”

Section: Strategies To Integrate Oral Medicine Into Healthcare Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Value of the Oral Medicine Specialty in the Modern Healthcare Systems

Bindakhil

Charmelo-Silva

Dakhil

2021

Saudi J Health Syst Res

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Background: Oral medicine is a subdiscipline of dentistry that concerns itself with the oral health of patients; it focuses on providing diagnosis and management of oral and maxillofacial diseases, as well as direct dental care for those in medically complex situations. As primary healthcare providers, physicians and dentists are often the first to evaluate patients with orofacial symptoms and make diagnoses related to oral health, whether explicit or manifested through systemic diseases. However, a lack of familiarity with oral medicine among healthcare providers often leads to significant delays in the accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment of many oral and maxillofacial disorders. It has been well established that a lack of training and education in oral health among physicians is an impediment to alleviating the situation. Summary: Several studies and scientific reports in the medical community have shown a greater professional interest in oral health and medicine, with numerous recent articles reflecting a clear rise in multiple factors: an increased interest in additional training and a rise in oral diseases. This review focuses on the need for a multidisciplinary approach in modern healthcare systems that implements the oral medicine specialty. It also serves to emphasize the role of oral medicine in medical training and education, while simultaneously discussing the prevalence of oral diseases and awareness of oral health among physicians in Saudi Arabia. Key Messages: The prevalence of oral health conditions in Saudi Arabia appears to be high yet is accompanied by a scarcity of oral medicine specialists in this part of the world. Furthermore, numerous studies have revealed that physicians from different specialties in Saudi Arabia lack training in oral health and possess an insufficient awareness of the oral medicine specialty. This paucity of oral medicine specialists in Saudi Arabia presents a key issue as the clinical services and medical education provided by such specialists in healthcare systems can have a profound positive impact on each patient’s quality of life and health outcomes, as well as the standards of physicians’ training.

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