An assessment of career satisfaction among a group of general dental practitioners in Staffordshire.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the level of job satisfaction among general dental practitioners from one area of England, and to assess the association of various personal and work related factors with job satisfaction.


METHODS
Postal questionnaire survey.


METHODS
General dental practices in South Staffordshire, Wolverhampton and Dudley, England.


METHODS
An anonymous questionnaire posted to all 396 registered dentists in the above areas.


RESULTS
A 75% response rate was achieved. Data were analysed using non-parametric statistics for any significant differences in the scores for stress, respect, overall professional satisfaction, quality of life and overall job satisfaction according to the different demographic groupings of the dentists (alpha =0.05). Dentists with an area of special interest had higher scores in all categories except quality of life. Overall job satisfaction was higher among private dentists, and those in group practices and in non-rural locations. The highest bi-variate correlation occurred between overall job satisfaction and overall professional satisfaction, delivery of care, income, respect and professional time.


CONCLUSIONS
Job satisfaction was judged to be good among this group. Stress was the factor associated with the greatest dissatisfaction. This survey produced similar results to preceding US studies, and suggests ways of improving job satisfaction.
Gilmour
J
J
burnell.gilmour@ukgateway.net
Stewardson
D A
DA
Shugars
D A
DA
Burke
F J T
FJ
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases; D011215:Practice Management, Dental; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires