Factors associated with the recruitment and retention of dentists in the public sector

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.

Job Leaving Intentions of Dentists Associated With COVID-19 Risk, Impact of Pandemic Management, and Personal Coping Resources

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic caused risks and burdens for health professionals and might result in job leaving intentions. To assess the potential risks, we explored the association of the job leaving intentions with exposure to COVID-19 risk, impact of pandemic management on professional and personal life, and personal coping resources among Slovak dentists in the first wave of the outbreak.

Methods: We obtained data from 500 dentists (66.8% females, M/SD = 43.8) registered with the Slovak Chamber of Dentists using an online questionnaire. Data were analysed using logistic regression models adjusted for age and gender.

Results: Nearly 40% of dentists reported job leaving intentions after the first wave of the pandemic outbreak. Job leaving intentions were associated with exposure to COVID-19 risks (odds ratios, ORs, varying from 1.6 to 4.7), impact of pandemic management on professional and personal life (Ors from 1.6 to 2.9), and personal coping resources (Ors from 0.4 to 0.6).

Conclusion: Better management of exposures to risks and impact on professional and personal life, as well as building better personal coping resources may prevent the loss of a valuable workforce in dental care.

Factors associated with staying or leaving a dentist leader's position - a qualitative study

Background

Leadership and leaders have important roles today, possibly even more so in the future, since major organizational changes will occur throughout the health care sector. Tomorrow’s leaders will need to be competent and motivated. It is important to clarify the factors why some individuals stay and some quit leadership positions. We investigated factors associating with dentist leaders’ likelihood to stay in or leave a leadership position.

Methods

Data were gathered while or after participants attended “the Special Competence in dental administration for leading dentists” education, utilizing the method of empathy-based stories. Participants wrote short essays on the basis of two contrasting frame stories, i.e. an imagined situation where either they left (Leavers, Group 1) or stayed in (Stayers, Group 2) a leadership position. Content analysis was used inductively to describe intent to stay or to leave factors and categorized according to the theory of “Career Anchors”.

Results

The factors were not only specific to groups, since several common factors were also found such as satisfaction with leadership position even though the post was not initially the participant’s voluntary decision and the inadequate time for leadership work. Factors in both groups formed three themes: personal, working community, and health care sector levels. Both groups expected conditions to improve in their organizations, even though there were major concerns about on-going changes. Concurrently the uncertainty and the instability in the health care sector and the status of oral health care worried both groups. Leaver-specific factors were loneliness of leadership position, lack of support and the appropriate salary combined with the excessive number of duties. Stayer-specific factors were enthusiasm for leadership supported by education and possibility of develop oral health care as part of health care. The General Managerial Competence anchor was the dominant career anchor, especially among the Leaders.

Conclusions

Working as a dentist leader is both demanding and challenging. In order to succeed and be personally satisfied and fulfilled in these leadership positions, it is essential to recognize either supporting or enervating factors towards leadership positions and that appropriate education, support, and time for leadership are needed.

Time until first dental caries for young children first seen in Federally Qualified Health Centers: a retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

The study assessed the time until first dental caries for young children seen at five Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) in Iowa and the relationship with the frequency and gaps (in months) of dental episodes, the number of topical fluoride treatments, and the number of dentists caring for the subject.

METHODS

Forty children were randomly selected at each FQHC (n = 200). All children were continuously enrolled in the Medicaid program and had their first dental visit prior to age 6. Dental chart findings, claims data for the child and family, and birth certificate information were merged into one dataset. Dental visits were followed for a minimum of 36 months, including dental visits external to the FQHCs. Using time until first caries as the dependent variable, the data were subject to left, interval, and right censoring and were analyzed via Weibull regression.

RESULTS

Slightly more than half of the 200 children experienced caries. Regression analysis indicated that the hazard of first dental caries increased by approximately 2% with each additional month that transpired between preventive recall examinations. In addition, children with older siblings who had a dental visit at the same center during the previous year prior to the subject's first visit were more likely to have a longer time until first dental caries.

CONCLUSIONS

Timing of dental care episodes was associated with caries experience in young children from low income families. Dental professionals should focus on regularity of dental care to prevent or delay caries experience in young children.