Introduction: Our hospital is located in Chuo Ward, Fukuoka City, and comprises 15 medical departments, a general ward with 49 beds, and a palliative care ward with 13 beds. The department of oral and maxillofacial surgery was established in October 2019, and outpatient services were initiated in May 2020.
Objectives: This study examines the clinical achievements of this department and discusses its challenges.
Material and methods: Data were extracted from medical records from May 2020 to March 2023 to analyze the department’s performance.
Results: For outpatient cases, the monthly average included approximately 29 new patients, 84 returning patients, about 9 cases of perioperative oral function management, and interventions for palliative care ward patients, totaling approximately 6 cases. Surgical cases under general anesthesia included 94 cases of maxillomandibular advancement for jaw deformities, 69 cases of maxillomandibular advancement and genioplasty, 1 case of mandibular advancement and genioplasty, 25 cases of plate removal and genioplasty, 49 cases of plate removal, 5 cases of genioplasty, and 7 other cases (extraction).Since the establishment of the dental and oral surgery outpatient clinics, there has been an increasing trend in outpatient visits and surgical cases. Among inpatients in the palliative care ward, 30%–40% received oral care interventions.
Conclusions: End-of-life oral care aims to reduce oral discomfort caused by poor hygiene, alleviate oral dryness, and support enjoyable eating. Improving the quality of life at the end of life will be explained carefully to patients and their families in the future.
Key words: Oral Care, Perioperative Oral Function Management, Supportive Therapy, Palliative Care, End-of-Life.