Job Satisfaction of U.A.E. Dental Practitioners

Perceptions of dental health professionals (DHPs) on job satisfaction in Fiji: a qualitative study

Background:

Reviewing job satisfaction is crucial as it has an impact on a person’s physical and mental wellbeing, as well as leading to a better organizational commitment of employees that enhances the organizations succession and progress as well as better staff retention. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of job satisfaction amongst Dental Health Professionals (DHPs) in Fiji and associated factors.

Methods:

This study used a phenomenological qualitative method approach commencing from August to November, 2021. The target group for this study were the DHPs who provide prosthetic services. This study was conducted among DHPs from 4 purposively selected clinics in Fiji. A semi- structured open-ended questionnaire was used to collect data. Thematic analysis was used to transcribe and analyze the audio qualitative data collected from the interviews.

Results:

Twenty-nine DHPs took part in the in-depth interview and the responses were grouped into three themes. The findings from the study indicate that DHPs are most satisfied with their teamwork and the relationship they have with their colleagues and co-workers, followed by the nature of the work and the supervision they received. The participants indicated that they were less satisfied with professional development opportunities and least satisfied with their pay and organizational support they receive.

Conclusion:

The results of this study have identified gaps and areas for improvement of job satisfaction for DHPs who provide prosthetic services in Fiji such as need for more career and professional development pathways, improved infrastructure to support prosthetic service delivery in Fiji and improve remuneration for DHPs. Understanding the factors that affect satisfaction levels and being able to act accordingly are likely to lead to positive outcomes both for DHPs and their organization.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-022-08620-z.

Quality of Life and Satisfaction from Career and Work-Life Integration of Greek Dentists before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Quality of life (QoL) of dental professionals is a basic parameter of the quality of dental services (QS), a fact well-documented before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in different countries. This study is a comprehensive, cross-sectional survey aimed to explore possible differences in satisfaction from career and work-life integration, as well as QoL in a sample of Greek dentists during the second lockdown in March 2021. Methods: 804 dentists from the vast metropolitan area of Athens and Piraeus selectively responded by completing a self-reported questionnaire based on: the Copenhagen Questionnaire (CQ) for assessing work stress; the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service Survey (MBI-HSS) for evaluating personal accomplishment; and the Quality-of-Life work scale (ProQOL-CSF). Data were analyzed using the independent t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and multiple linear regression. Results: QoL and career satisfaction were significantly diminished during the pandemic. Career satisfaction despite the pandemic was overall influenced in tandem by age (b = 0.427, p = 0.001), marital status (b = 0.276, p = 0.021), and inversely by years of practice (b = -0.330, p = 0.007) and income (b = -0.221, p = 0.015). Satisfaction from the work-life integration was influenced before the pandemic by marital status (b = 0.255 p = 0.013), years of practice (b = -0.371, p = 0.0001), while gender, years of practice, age, higher education, and income played a significant role during the pandemic. QoL was impacted before pandemic by age (b = -1.007, p = 0.001), number of children (b = -1.704, p = 0.018), and higher degree (b = -1.143, p = 0.001), while during the pandemic by gender (b = -0.582, p = 0.002), number of children (b = 0.469, p = 0.037), higher degree (b = 0.279, p = 0.009), and years of practice (b = -0.523, p = 0.0001). Males were more prone to low QoL, and dissatisfaction with career and work-life integration, during the pandemic. Income is a predictor of career satisfaction despite the pandemic. Personal resources through deep human relationships, higher education, beliefs, and values can offer a resilience shield against professional difficulties in periods of unexpected stressful events.

Estimation of Factors Affecting Burnout in Greek Dentists before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study is a comprehensive, cross-sectional survey in occupational burnout, career satisfaction, and quality of life conducted in March 2021 among dentists in the vast area of metropolitan Athens, Greece. Data were collected using a self-reported questionnaire based on the Copenhagen Questionnaire (CQ) for assessing work stress and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service Survey (MBI-HSS) for evaluating occupational burnout. Using the independent t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple linear regression, 804 valid questionnaires were analyzed. During the pandemic, personal exhaustion was affected by gender (b = 1.862, p = 0.0001), age (b = −0.598, p = 0.0001), number of children (b = −0.886, p = 0.020) and higher degree (b = −0.450, p = 0.012). Exhaustion due to working with patients was affected by gender (b = 0.662 p = 0.0001), age (b = −0.513, p = 0.0001), number of children (b = −0.701, p = 0.0001), higher degree (b = −0.207, p = 0.028) and years in practice (b = 0.408 p = 0.0001). Males were more prone to unhappiness, dissatisfaction, and professional physical and emotional exhaustion, but personal resources through higher education, beliefs, values, and hobbies can offer a preventive shield to all dental professionals. Economic management issues can also enhance dentists’ satisfaction and feeling of safety in a rapidly changing environment.

Perceptions of dental health professionals (DHPs) on work challenges in Fiji: A qualitative study

Introduction:

Reviewing factors that affect work challenges is crucial for any organization as it has an impact of organizational commitment for a better service delivery and job satisfaction. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of dental health professionals (DHPs) on work challenges and the impact it has on job satisfaction in Fiji.

Materials and Methods:

A descriptive, qualitative method approach (nationwide) was done commencing from August to November, 2021. DHPs who provide prosthetic services in Fiji were selected using purposive selection located at Nakasi Dental Clinic, Lautoka Dental Clinic, Labasa Dental Clinic, and Fiji National University. A total of 29 DHPs participated in the in-depth interview, and the responses were grouped into nine themes: working conditions, the location of practice, equipment and material, a lack of specialization, service delivery, organizational support, remuneration, career development, and promotions. A semi-structured open-ended questionnaire in the form of an interview via a virtual platform—Zoom was used for data collection. Thematic analysis was used to transcribe and analyze the audio recordings.

Results:

The findings from the study indicated that factors such as working conditions, the location of practice, equipment and material, a lack of specialization, service delivery, organizational support, remuneration, career development, and promotions were associated with work challenges.

Conclusion:

Gaps and areas for the improvement of work challenges and its impact on job satisfaction were identified for DHPs who provide prosthetic services in Fiji such as a need for more career and professional development pathways, improved infrastructure to support prosthetic service delivery, and better remuneration.

Factors influencing job satisfaction among dentists during the new normal of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia: A structural equation modeling approach

BACKGROUND

Dentistry is one of the highest risk occupations that face COVID-19, especially in countries that are severely affected by the pandemic, such as Indonesia.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the study was to determine factors influencing job satisfaction among dentists during the new normal of COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia by utilizing the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach.

METHODS

A total of 310 Indonesian dentists voluntary completed an online questionnaire, which contained 58 questions. Several latent variables such as perceived severity of COVID-19, staff cooperation and management commitment, personal protective equipment, job stress, working hours, income, and overall job satisfaction were analyzed simultaneously.

RESULTS

SEM revealed perceived severity of COVID-19 had significant effects on job stress (β:0.394, p = 0.025) and the utilization of personal protective equipment (β:0.757, p = 0.001). Subsequently, job stress (β:-0.286, p = 0.001), working hours (β:0.278, p = 0.018), income (β:0.273, p = 0.003), personal protective equipment (β:0.145, p = 0.038), and staff cooperation & management commitment (β:0.091, p = 0.002) were found to have significant effects on overall job satisfaction. In addition, management & staff cooperation was found to have a significant association with job stress reduction (β:-0.319, p = 0.003) which subsequently led to higher satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study is one of the first that analyzed job satisfaction among dentists in Indonesia during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The integrated latent variables can be applied and extended to evaluate job satisfaction among dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic in other countries. Finally, this study contributed as a theoretical foundation for policymakers to enhance the job satisfaction of dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Evaluation of Quality of Life among Dental Professionals by Using the WHOQOL-BREF Instrument in Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

Objective

To evaluate the quality of life (QOL) of dental professionals in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

Methods

This cross-sectional study recruited dental professionals (general dentists, specialists, and consultants) from public and private sectors in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The World Health Organization's QOL Assessment-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire was administered among study participants. The questionnaire addresses four domains of QOL which are physical, psychological, social relationships, and environment.

Results

There were 313 dental professionals in the study with a mean age of 35.72 (8.58) years. The mean score of QOL in the sample was 63 (13.9) on a 0–100 scale. 75% of the participants rated their QOL as good or very good. Of four domains, the social relationship domain had the highest mean score of QOL (67.04 SD: 23.52) and the physical domain had the lowest score (59.66 SD: 14.69). There were significant differences in the QOL of consultants (66.46 SD: 12.55), specialists (65.42 SD: 12.91), and general dentists (61.06 SD: 14.18) (P 0.010). The participants with medical illness had significantly lower QOL (56.91 SD: 12.83) than those without medical illness (63.67 SD: 13.92) (P 0.01). There were significant differences in the QOL of participants with 0–10 years since graduation (61.97 SD: 14.71), 11–20 years (61.92 SD: 13.56), and more than 20 years (68.53 SD: 10.71) (P 0.009).

Conclusion

The qualifications, medical illness, and years since graduation were important determinants of QOL among dental professionals. Measures should be taken to improve QOL of dental professionals which can enhance the quality of patient care.