Dentists’ Awareness of the Role of Physiotherapists in the Treatment of Temporomandibular Disorders

INTRODUCTION: Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are frequently encountered conditions with complex, multifactorial causes that often necessitate a multidisciplinary and collaborative treatment approach.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study assessed TMDs management practices among Turkish dentists through a 22-item online questionnaire. The tool, based on standardized TMDs criteria, included an educational infographic. Data were collected from dentists through social media/email, focusing on referral patterns, interdisciplinary awareness, and treatment preferences. The data are presented as the total number of participants and frequency percentages.
RESULTS: The questionnaire was completed by 106 dentists. The participating dentists had a mean age of 32 ± 9.58 years. The majority were general dental practitioners with bachelor’s degrees and 0–5 years of clinical experience. It was observed that 26.4% of dentists refer TMDs patients to physiotherapist (PT). Most of the dentists prefer occlusal splints, occlusal adjustments, and pharmacotherapy in the TMDs treatment. TMDs patients were predominantly referred to PT for neck pain and postural problems. Before participating in this survey, the majority of dentists were unaware that PT could play a role in the treatment of TMDs patients. After the questionnaire, 67% of dentists indicated an increased likelihood of referring TMDs patients to a PT when deemed necessary. 87.7% of participants expressed an interest in gaining further knowledge about the benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration with PT in the management of TMDs.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This study showed that dentists had limited awareness of the role of PTs in the treatment of TMDs. The results highlight significant gaps in both knowledge and awareness about the TMDs treatment.