title: Job satisfaction among dually qualified dental hygienist-therapists in UK primary care: a structural model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate job satisfaction among hygienist-therapists. Increasing numbers of hygienist-therapists work in UK primary dental care teams. Earlier studies suggest a clinical remit/clinical activity mismatch, without investigating any link with job satisfaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  A UK-wide survey of dental hygienist-therapists using a random sample of the General Dental Council Register of Dental Care Professionals. Factors associated with job satisfaction (measured by the Warr-Cook-Wall ten-dimension scale) were entered into a series of multiple regression analyses to build up a path model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis was undertaken on 183 respondents (response rate: 60%). Mean score for overall satisfaction was 5.36 (SD 1.28) out of a range of 1-7. Multiple regression analysis confirmed the following direct predictors of overall job satisfaction: satisfaction with colleagues, remuneration, variety of work; rating of hygiene work as rewarding; and not being self-employed (R(2) = 0.69). Satisfaction with variety of work was the strongest predictor, itself strongly predicted by the extent the clinical remit was undertaken. Dentists' recognition of their remit, quality of clinical work and qualifications had a strong indirect effect on overall job satisfaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study suggests both greater use of the therapy skills these individuals possess, and better recognition of their remit, qualifications and quality of work by their dentist colleague, may be linked to higher job satisfaction. The implications for the policy of greater team working in dental primary care are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Edinburgh Postgraduate Dental Institute, Level 4, Lauriston Building, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh, EH3 9HA. s.turner@cpse.dundee.ac.uk
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Ibbetson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003727:Dental Auxiliaries / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003756:Dental Hygienists / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012042:Registries; D012044:Regression Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D000078329:Workforce