For starters, let’s define orofacial pain. It will be helpful in understanding how (and whether) it might become dentistry’s newest specialty as recognized by the National Commission for Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards' review committee.
Orofacial pain is a broad term used to describe symptoms of pain and/or dysfunction in the head and neck region. Think headaches, jaw pain and much, much more. According to the American Academy of Orofacial Pain, orofacial pain is evolving and the scope of the field is enlarging.
Currently, orofacial pain encompasses:
- Temporomandibular joint disorders
- Masticatory musculoskeletal pain
- Cervical musculoskeletal pain
- Neurovascular pain
- Neuropathic pain
- Sleep disorders related to orofacial pain
- Orofacial dystonias
- Headaches
- Intraoral, intracranial, extracranial and systemic disorders that cause orofacial pain
In early May, the American Academy of Orofacial Pain submitted an application and request to recognize Orofacial Pain as a dental specialty, which is now under review by the National Commission for Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards' review committee.
According to the National Commission, all documentation in the application is confidential until the review committee has determined that the application is complete. If the application is complete, the National Commission will invite public comment on the applicant's compliance with the requirements for recognition for a 60-day period.
Specialties currently recognized by the National Commission include Dental Anesthesiology; Dental Public Health; Endodontics; Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology; Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology; and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
The field of orofacial pain is concerned with the prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of orofacial pain disorders, according to the AAOP website. Such disorders may have pain and associated symptoms arising from a discrete cause, such as postoperative pain or pain associated with a malignancy, or may be syndromes in which pain constitutes the primary problem.
The National Commission, at its March 11 meeting, revised its policies related to the application process requiring it to publish a notification to its communities of interest when an application has been received.
For more information on the National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards, visit ADA.org/en/ncrdscb or by calling 1-312-440-2697.
