Referral patterns of emergency physicians regarding head and neck pathology in Western Australia

Those dual qualified in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) in Australia have a scope of practice that includes dentoalveolar surgery, facial fractures, craniofacial deformities, salivary gland disease, temporomandibular joint disorders, and the treatment of oral and facial cancers with reconstruction. This differs from other countries such as the UK, the US, France and Brazil, which can lead to complexities of interaction when internationally trained health professionals, who may be unaware of this wide breadth of practice, are the ‘gatekeepers’ at tertiary health facilities. 1 – 3