Factors related to job satisfaction among South Korean dentists.
OBJECTIVE
The purposes of this study were to investigate the level and distribution of job satisfaction and to explore work environment factors associated with job satisfaction of South Korean dentists.


METHODS
A stratified systematic random sample of 1029 dentists was selected from the 10 357 registered dentists in the Korean Dental Association. They were surveyed via a self-administered mail questionnaire. Job satisfaction was measured by a modified version of the Dentist Satisfaction Survey.


RESULTS
The response rate was 62.2%. The mean score of overall job satisfaction among South Korean dentists was 3.2 out of 5. In terms of work environment factors, the most satisfying aspect was patient relations (3.7) and the least satisfying aspect was personal time (2.8). Multiple regression analysis identified a model including patient relations, perception of income, personal time, staff, and specialty training that accounted for 35% of variation in overall job satisfaction. The majority of the variance was explained by patient relations.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that patient relations, perception of income, personal time, staff, and specialty training are important work environment factors for job satisfaction among South Korean dentists. The findings of this study will be helpful to policy makers to design plans to increase the level of job satisfaction among South Korean dentists.
Jeong
Seong-Hwa
SH
Department of Preventive Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.
Chung
Jae-Kyun
JK
Choi
Youn-Hee
YH
Sohn
Woosung
W
Song
Keun-Bae
KB
D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003797:Dental Staff; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013039:Specialties, Dental / Q000193:education; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D017132:Workplace