Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in the Arab world: Are We Facing an ‘Arab Spring’?

Abstract

These are interesting times if you live in the Arab world; there is a fine line between the call for democratic change and destruction! The first and second world wars helped change the face of dental surgery in Europe, leading to the rebirth of the specialty as oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS). Almost four decades ago, this specialty was born in the Arab countries. However, the past decade witnessed rapid evolution in the legislation, training and practice governing OMFS. In this article, we discuss the current situation for OMFS and look to the future in view of the changes taking place in the region.