Archives

Introduction: Understanding the knowledge gaps in dental specialities among medical professionals is essential for fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and improving overall patient care. This study aimed to identify areas of deficiency, and propose recommendations to bridge the gap in knowledge.

Objective: To assess the awareness of specialities of dentistry among medical interns and postgraduate (PG) residents.

Materials and Method: An analytical cross-sectional study was carried out after ethical clearance, from 2023 April to 2023 May among 234 respondents, including 91 interns and 143 PG residents of Kathmandu Medical College. Data obtained were analysed using the SPSS version.20.

Result:  The study reflected 201 (86.11%) of the respondents (N=234), were unaware about the different specialities of dentistry and 209 (89.44%) of the sample referred their patients to the general dentist without knowing the specialities. The correct response rate for interns and PGs were 48 (53.33%) and 115 (80.75%) respectively. About 63 (69.23%) of the interns (n1=91) incorrectly identified orthodontics as a specialty for treating fractures of the jaw. In contrast, 118 (82.51%) of the postgraduate residents (n2=143) recommended referring cases of mandibular fracture to the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

Conclusion: A large number of participating interns were not aware of the differences among the branches in Dentistry, specifically between orthodontics, oral- maxillofacial surgery, public health (community) dentistry and Paediatric dentistry. Many medical doctors have misbelief that all of their dental‑related issues can be solved by the general dental practitioners.