<b><i>Background:</i></b> Oral medicine is a subdiscipline of dentistry that concerns itself with the oral health of patients; it focuses on providing diagnosis and management of oral and maxillofacial diseases, as well as direct dental care for those in medically complex situations. As primary healthcare providers, physicians and dentists are often the first to evaluate patients with orofacial symptoms and make diagnoses related to oral health, whether explicit or manifested through systemic diseases. However, a lack of familiarity with oral medicine among healthcare providers often leads to significant delays in the accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment of many oral and maxillofacial disorders. It has been well established that a lack of training and education in oral health among physicians is an impediment to alleviating the situation. <b><i>Summary:</i></b> Several studies and scientific reports in the medical community have shown a greater professional interest in oral health and medicine, with numerous recent articles reflecting a clear rise in multiple factors: an increased interest in additional training and a rise in oral diseases. This review focuses on the need for a multidisciplinary approach in modern healthcare systems that implements the oral medicine specialty. It also serves to emphasize the role of oral medicine in medical training and education, while simultaneously discussing the prevalence of oral diseases and awareness of oral health among physicians in Saudi Arabia. <b><i>Key Messages:</i></b> The prevalence of oral health conditions in Saudi Arabia appears to be high yet is accompanied by a scarcity of oral medicine specialists in this part of the world. Furthermore, numerous studies have revealed that physicians from different specialties in Saudi Arabia lack training in oral health and possess an insufficient awareness of the oral medicine specialty. This paucity of oral medicine specialists in Saudi Arabia presents a key issue as the clinical services and medical education provided by such specialists in healthcare systems can have a profound positive impact on each patient’s quality of life and health outcomes, as well as the standards of physicians’ training.
The coronavirus vaccine was developed to help overcome the COVID‐19 crisis. This study aimed to identify the cutaneous side effects secondary to Pfizer‐BioNTech and Oxford‐AstraZeneca COVID‐19 vaccines in the general population of Saudi Arabia and to list the risk factors for the development of cutaneous side effects. This cross‐sectional study was conducted in 2021, self‐administered surveys were distributed electronically through social media, and telephonic interviews were conducted with a sample size of 1000 participants. Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. A total of 1021 patients (229 male and 722 female) aged 12 years or older were included. While 833 participants were medically free, 188 had chronic illnesses. While 802 participants were not taking any medications, 219 were taking medications regularly. Oxford‐Astra Zeneca and Pfizer BioNTech vaccines were administered to 319 and 702 participants, respectively. One‐hundred and twenty‐five participants previously had COVID‐19 infection and 407 were exposed to a PCR positive case of COVID. Six hundred and fifty‐nine patients (64.5%) reported experiencing injection site reactions: 606 (59.4%) had injection site pain, 168 (16.5%) had injection site swelling, and 107 (10.5%) had injection site redness. Only 51 patients (5%) experienced cutaneous side effects after injection. A significant association was found between chronic illnesses and cutaneous side effects post‐vaccine (9% vs. 4.1%; p value = 0.005). Patients on medications showed a higher rate of symptoms (8.2% vs. 4.1%; p value = 0.005). Age, gender, vaccine types, and history of COVID‐19 infection were not significantly associated with cutaneous side effects post‐vaccine.
<b><i>Background:</i></b> In recent years, telemedicine has led to a dramatic shift in healthcare service delivery, mainly due to the ease with which telemedicine can be integrated into a multitude of specialties and its flexibility as a means of providing care. Over the last 2 decades, technological advancements have made telemedicine integral to healthcare in many countries. In particular, dermatology was benefited from telemedicine as a new tool, thanks to the visual character that pervades this practice. Teledermatology is the interactive practice of remote dermatological assessment, involving live contact with patients (“live interactive”) and data access and retrieval (“store-and-forward”). This review discusses the role of this new discipline in medical education, inpatient care, and primary care through the analysis of several studies addressing this topic. Also examined are the status and limitations of teledermatology in Saudi Arabia and some proposed solutions. <b><i>Summary:</i></b> Visual assessment of dermatological conditions is common practice among dermatologists. However, due to the scarcity of specialists in some areas, wait times have been a hindrance for patients requiring an assessment. Teledermatology improves access by reducing wait times, speeding up the referral process, and streamlining assessments. Furthermore, teledermatology effectively serves as a form of triage, particularly for cases of suspected cutaneous malignancy that typically require the shortest referral time. Earlier diagnoses, more effective management of chronic skin disease, and inpatient care are all additional benefits offered by the teledermatology practice. The use of teledermatology is now widespread, with roles extending beyond patient care to medical teaching and training in residency programs. This perhaps reflects physicians’ highly positive perceptions regarding teledermatology; however, patient perception in Saudi Arabia is still lagging behind the global standard, possibly due to privacy concerns. <b><i>Key Message:</i></b> Teledermatology can be reliably utilized to advance healthcare services and medical education. Improving patient awareness and perception of this emerging discipline is crucial; to that end, the practice must address privacy concerns. Patient uploads of photographs and videos should be stored on an end-to-end encrypted platform to provide optimal service and encourage patients’ participation. Ultimately, physicians should be well acquainted with the medical, ethical, and technical aspects of teledermatology.
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