Perception by the public and medical profession of oral and maxillofacial surgery--has it changed after 10 years?

Departments of oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) aim to deliver an efficient and effective service. Clear understanding of what the speciality offers is central to appropriate referrals. Studies published 10 years ago showed there was limited awareness of the specialty. We present the results of a simple questionnaire study and compare the results with those of a previous survey. There has been some improvement in the perception of the role of OMFS, but only 34/100 of the public had heard of OMFS and none expected OMFS to treat patients who were unhappy with their facial appearance.