EFFECT OF AWARENESS OF THE NATIONAL MAXILLOFACIAL ASSOCIATION ON THE PERCEPTION OF SCOPE OF MAXILLOFACIAL PRACTICE

Background: Oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) encompasses a broad scope of procedures, yet public and professional awareness of its full capabilities remains inconsistent. Thai Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (TAOMS) plays a pivotal role in promoting the specialty, but its influence on OMFS perception has not been thoroughly examined. This study aims to evaluate whether awareness of TAOMS affects recognition of OMFS- performed procedures among preclinical dental students. Materials and Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 129 pre-clinical dental students to assess their recognition of OMFS procedures across four domains: dentofacial deformity, maxillofacial trauma, oral oncology and reconstruction, and miscellaneous interventions. Students were grouped based on their awareness of the TAOMS into aware (Aw) and unaware (Uaw) groups. Recognition levels were classified as high, moderate, or low. Chi-square tests were used to compare groups, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Among 129 participants, 57 (44.19%) were aware of TAOMS. The Aw group exhibited significantly higher recognition rates for OMFS procedures across all domains. Open reduction and internal fixation of zygomatic fractures had the largest discrepancy (Aw: 87.72%, Uaw: 61.11%; p < 0.05). Procedures with interdisciplinary overlap, such as facial liposuction and nasal augmentation, had the lowest recognition rates. Conclusions: Awareness of the national maxillofacial association affected the perception of the scope of OMFS practices. The variability in awareness across different procedure categories including dentofacial deformity and maxillofacial trauma procedures were generally well recognized, surgical interventions with interdisciplinary overlapped were more frequently attributed to other specialties.