Perceptions of medical doctors on bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw.
BACKGROUND
This study aimed to investigate medical doctors' awareness of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) and the status of dental referrals.


METHODS
Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to medical doctors practicing internal medicine, family medicine, and orthopedics at the 6 tertiary medical centers located in Seoul, Korea. The survey consisted of 22 questions regarding the general characteristics, bisphosphonate therapy, awareness of BRONJ, and implementation of dental referrals.


RESULTS
Among 192 medical doctors, 21.9 % had not heard of the disease. Only 8.9 % correctly answered all 5 questions testing BRONJ knowledge. Dental referrals made by medical doctors were implemented in less than 30 % of the total patients. Oncology specialists most often recognized the necessity of dental referrals followed in decreasing order by endocrinology, rheumatology, family medicine, and orthopedic specialists.


CONCLUSIONS
Given medical doctors' low BRONJ perception and implementation level of dental referrals, enhancing information dissemination on BRONJ and development of a highly accessible educational program recognizing the need for dental referrals are urgent.
Graduate School of Clinical Dentistry, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea; Research Institute for Intractable Osteonecrosis of the Jaw, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea.|Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Ewha Womans University Medical Center, Anyangcheon-ro 1071, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, 158-710, South Korea.
Jin-Woo
JW
Kim
Graduate School of Clinical Dentistry, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea; Research Institute for Intractable Osteonecrosis of the Jaw, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea.
Su-Ra
SR
Jeong
Graduate School of Clinical Dentistry, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea; Research Institute for Intractable Osteonecrosis of the Jaw, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea. oralsurgeonsj@gmail.com.|Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Ewha Womans University Medical Center, Anyangcheon-ro 1071, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, 158-710, South Korea. oralsurgeonsj@gmail.com.
Sun-Jong
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1672-5730
SJ
Kim
Department of Medical & Pharmaceutical Science, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, South Korea.
YeonSoo
Y
Kim
D059266:Bisphosphonate-Associated Osteonecrosis of the Jaw / Q000175:diagnosis*; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D004164:Diphosphonates; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D010820:Physicians; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D056910:Republic of Korea
D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D004164:Diphosphonates
Awareness; Bisphosphonate; Doctor; Osteonecrosis of the Jaw; Questionnaire