The Clinical Practice of Oral Medicine in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

The primary objective of this study was to assess the characteristics of Oral Medicine (OM) practitioners and describe the scope of OM practice in Saudi Arabia. Secondary aims included the evaluation of differences in clinical practice of OM based on postgraduate training backgrounds and practitioner characteristics.

In this prospective, cross-sectional study, a structured online survey was distributed to OM practitioners across all regions of Saudi Arabia. The survey collected data on demographics, postgraduate training, practice settings, referral patterns, and the use of teledentistry. Data were summarized with descriptive statistics, and associations between categorical variables were evaluated using chi-square tests.

Forty-eight practitioners (median age 37 years, 60.4% female) completed the survey, indicating a response rate of 68.6%. Most practitioners were based in the Western and Central regions of Saudi Arabia. While 43.7% completed postgraduate training in North America, approximately one-quarter were trained in Saudi Arabia. OM services were primarily delivered in academic and hospital settings. Oral mucosal lesions and temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) were the most commonly encountered conditions. Biopsies were performed by 82.6% of practitioners, and the majority of referrals originated from general dentists for oral lesions, TMD, or orofacial pain. Clinical practice patterns differed by training background, with advanced or longer-duration training associated with increased procedural involvement. There were no significant differences in biopsy or imaging practices. Practitioners with advanced postgraduate training more frequently managed oral mucosal lesions, TMD, and oral manifestations of systemic diseases (p = 0.030). There were no significant differences between practitioners in biopsy practices (p = 0.124) or diagnostic imaging (p = 0.418). However, there were differences in providing other procedures, such as intralesional injections and occlusal splints, which were more commonly offered by PhD holders and certificate-trained practitioners (p = 0.002).

This study provides a national perspective on OM practice in Saudi Arabia. The observed geographic and training-related heterogeneity may influence patient accessibility to OM services. These findings highlight the importance of interdisciplinary integration and standardization of training programs.

To our best knowledge, this is the first comprehensive study on OM practitioners and their clinical scope in Saudi Arabia. There appears to be a growing demand for OM services in the country, with regional disparities in access to care. These results highlight the need for national strategies to enhance OM service availability and ensure equitable oral healthcare delivery across the country.