title: Job satisfaction among 'migrant dentists' in Australia: implications for dentist migration and workforce policy.
abstract: Migrants occupy a significant proportion of the dental workforce in Australia. The objectives of this study were to assess the level of job satisfaction of employed migrant dentists in Australia, and to examine the association between various migrant dentist characteristics and job satisfaction.
  
  
  
  All migrant dentists resident in Australia were surveyed using a five-point Likert scale that measured specific aspects of job, career and satisfaction with area and type of practice.
  
  
  
  A total of 1022 migrant dentists responded to this study; 974 (95.4%) were employed. Responses for all scales were skewed towards strongly agree (scores ≥4). The overall scale varied by age group, marital status, years since arrival to Australia and specialist qualification (chi-square, p < 0.05). In a multivariate logistic regression model, there was a trend towards greater satisfaction amongst older age groups. Dentists who migrated through the examination pathway (mainly from low- and middle-income countries) had a lower probability of being satisfied with the area and type of practice (OR = 0.71; 0.51-0.98), compared with direct-entry migrant dentists (from high-income countries).
  
  
  
  The high level of job satisfaction of migrant dentists reflects well on their work-related experiences in Australia. The study offers policy suggestions towards support for younger dentists and examination pathway migrants, so they have appropriate skills and standards to fit the Australian health care environment.
authors: Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, School of Dentistry, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Balasubramanian
authors: Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, School of Dentistry, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors: A J
authors: AJ
authors: Spencer
authors: Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors: S D
authors: SD
authors: Short
authors: Australian Dental Council, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Watkins
authors: Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, School of Dentistry, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Chrisopoulos
authors: Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, School of Dentistry, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors: D S
authors: DS
authors: Brennan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014171:Transients and Migrants; D016526:Workload
keywords: Dental workforce; health policy; job satisfaction; migrant dentists; settlement issues