Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Dental Surgeons in the Management of Patients with Odontogenic Maxillary Sinusitis in the City of Yaounde

Background: Odontogenic maxillary sinusitis (OMS) is an understudied type of sinusitis that requires a well codified treatment regimen. Management demands collaboration between the dental surgeon and ear-nose-throat specialist.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of dental surgeons in the management of patients with OMS.

Methods: We conducted a four-month descriptive cross-sectional study involving dental surgeons working in public hospitals, private hospitals, and private dental cabinets in Yaounde. A consecutive non-probabilistic sampling method was used and, 115 dental surgeons from 10 different dental institutions were selected, 97 retained. A self-constructed questionnaire was distributed to the dental surgeons that comprised 31 questions. The data was entered and analyzed for frequency and percentages by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.

Results: Of the 97 participating dental surgeons, 54.6% had average knowledge, 4.1% had good knowledge, 33.0% had insufficient knowledge, and 13.4% had poor knowledge on OMS. Regarding attitudes, 33.0% had average attitudes, 4.1% had good attitudes, 33.0% had insufficient attitudes, and 29.9% had poor attitudes. Regarding practices, 40.2% had average practices, 29.9% had insufficient practices, 25.8% had poor practices, and 4.1% had good practices.

Conclusion: This study revealed that dental surgeons have limited knowledge on the management of OMS, resulting in mediocre attitudes and practices. Very few dental surgeons had received specialized training on OMS management and prevention. More attention should be paid on OMS in the dental curriculum of medical faculties. Prospective studies are needed to determine best approach to caring for OMS.

Keywords: Antral Teeth, Dental Surgeons, Odontogenic Maxillary Sinusitis, Maxillary Sinus.