ENT specialists' knowledge and their skills in detecting maxillary sinusitis of odontogenic origin, a cross-sectional study

Background: Odontogenic maxillary sinusitis (OMS) is recognized in literature, but diagnosing it is challenging due to its different and overlapping clinical presentations of it. Misdiagnosis can lead to persistent symptoms and clinical burden. Interestingly, recent guidelines from the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery lack recommendations for dental evaluation in adult sinusitis cases. Aim: To assess ENT physicians' knowledge and skills in diagnosing maxillary sinusitis of odontogenic origin. This study may emphasize the importance of raising awareness to help in proper diagnosis, timely referral, and efficient management of patients with maxillary sinusitis of odontogenic origin. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study on 210 ENT specialists in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to evaluate their knowledge and ability in detecting OMS electronically. Results: Our sample included a total of 30 (14.29%) residents, 108 (51.43%) specialists, and 72 (34.28%) consultants. In cases of unilateral maxillary sinusitis, 61.43% of all participants reported that a dental examination was unnecessary. The regression analysis showed a significant interaction effect between the number of sinusitis cases per week and being a specialist (p = 0.0370). Conversely, there was no significant interaction effect between sinusitis cases per week and being a consultant (p = 0.1408). Conclusion: ENT physicians underestimated the odontogenic etiology for unilateral OMS significantly. This study highlights the importance of targeted education to improve OMS detection and treatment and, ultimately, patient outcomes.