Oral and maxillofacial surgery – a case of mistaken identity?

Abstract

There are international grumbles from those perturbed by an impending identity crisis within oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS). This unrest is further compounded by scattered suggestions that a name change may prove beneficial in raising the profile of OMFS. The purpose of this paper is to consider novel methods of increasing awareness of the specialty amongst the public, primary and secondary care colleagues by collecting a consensus of thoughts and opinions regarding the specialty's identity and the appropriate and holistic nomenclature of OMFS. Approximately 300 eight-point questionnaires were distributed internationally with a response rate, via both email and post, of approximately 25% (72). Thirty-two percent of respondents considered there to be an identity crisis within OMFS although just 18% felt that a specialty name change would be beneficial. The results suggest that the problem with identity relates more to incapacity to convey the message of OMFS rather than nomenclature.