TY - JOUR
T1 - Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology in Latin America and the Caribbean
T2 - A Comprehensive Survey of Recognition, Training, and Practice
AU - González-Pérez, Leonor Victoria
AU - Saldivia-Siracusa, Cristina
AU - Ribeiro E Silva, Ana Carolina Prado
AU - Aristizábal Arboleda, Lady Paola
AU - Domínguez Gallagher, Karen Patricia
AU - Araújo, Anna Luiza Damaceno
AU - Vargas, Pablo Agustin
AU - Paparella, María Luisa
AU - Ortega Pinto, Ana Verónica
AU - González-Arriagada, Wilfredo Alejandro
AU - Peña-Vega, Claudia Patricia
AU - Gerber-Mora, Roberto
AU - García Heredia, Gilda Lucia
AU - Cuadra Zelaya, Florence Juana Maria
AU - Hurtado Castillo, Ileana Del Rosario
AU - Rajendra Santosh, Arvind Babu
AU - Mosqueda-Taylor, Adalberto
AU - Castillo Gurdián, Erick Antonio
AU - González Galván, María Del Carmen
AU - Delgado Azañero, Wilson
AU - Rivera, Helen
AU - Bologna-Molina, Ronell
AU - Villarroel-Dorrego, Mariana
AU - Flores Ramos, Janeth Liliam
AU - Gaidos Nates, Carlos Alberto
AU - Reiván Ortiz, Patricia
AU - Arambu Turcios, Claudette
AU - Martínez Cruz, Erick
AU - Ken, Loyden Evan
AU - Hunter, Keith D
AU - Santos-Silva, Alan Roger
N1 - © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of Oral Pathology & Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - BACKGROUND: Oral and maxillofacial pathology (OMFP) is a dental specialty that studies the causes, processes, and effects of diseases in the oral and maxillofacial area, while also contributing to diagnosis and treatment. Its recognition, training, and professional practice vary across the globe. This study aimed to explore the training and professional development of OMFP in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), including important issues such as specialty recognition, service regulation, postgraduate education, number of specialists, career opportunities, and perceived barriers.METHODS: An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted, where senior professionals in OMFP from 21 LAC countries were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire via the REDCap web platform.RESULTS: Experts from 21 countries reported recognition of OMFP as a dental specialty in 76.2% of the countries, with 61.9% offering it as an independent program distinct from oral medicine. Specific regulations for practice were present in 52.4% of the countries, and 33.3% offered postgraduate programs, mainly combining other specialties. The professional activities of participants were diverse, including roles in private practice, universities, research, laboratories, and hospitals. However, 61.9% of participants identified the lack of recognition for multidisciplinary teams as a significant barrier to their practice.CONCLUSION: This groundbreaking study provides an overview of key aspects of training, practice, and recognition of OMFP in 21 LAC countries. The findings demonstrate significant variation both within the region and when compared to global studies, providing a crucial foundation for future research in this area.
AB - BACKGROUND: Oral and maxillofacial pathology (OMFP) is a dental specialty that studies the causes, processes, and effects of diseases in the oral and maxillofacial area, while also contributing to diagnosis and treatment. Its recognition, training, and professional practice vary across the globe. This study aimed to explore the training and professional development of OMFP in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), including important issues such as specialty recognition, service regulation, postgraduate education, number of specialists, career opportunities, and perceived barriers.METHODS: An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted, where senior professionals in OMFP from 21 LAC countries were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire via the REDCap web platform.RESULTS: Experts from 21 countries reported recognition of OMFP as a dental specialty in 76.2% of the countries, with 61.9% offering it as an independent program distinct from oral medicine. Specific regulations for practice were present in 52.4% of the countries, and 33.3% offered postgraduate programs, mainly combining other specialties. The professional activities of participants were diverse, including roles in private practice, universities, research, laboratories, and hospitals. However, 61.9% of participants identified the lack of recognition for multidisciplinary teams as a significant barrier to their practice.CONCLUSION: This groundbreaking study provides an overview of key aspects of training, practice, and recognition of OMFP in 21 LAC countries. The findings demonstrate significant variation both within the region and when compared to global studies, providing a crucial foundation for future research in this area.
KW - Caribbean region
KW - Latin America
KW - oral and maxillofacial pathology
KW - pathologists
KW - professional practice
KW - specialty boards
KW - training programs
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105015183951
U2 - 10.1111/jop.70051
DO - 10.1111/jop.70051
M3 - Article
C2 - 40903420
SN - 0904-2512
JO - Journal of Oral Pathology and Medicine
JF - Journal of Oral Pathology and Medicine
ER -