Career influences among final year dental students who plan to enter private practice

Abstract

BackgroundExisting research about the influence of educational debt on students’ decision to enter general practice immediately after graduation is conflicting. Other potential factors that could affect this decision include the influence of a spouse or other family member, the importance of a mentoring dentist, and how students perceive the burden of their debt. The goal of this study was to examine the importance of debt on career decision-making while also considering the role of other influences.MethodsResponses to a self-completed questionnaire of all final (fourth) year students at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry from 2007 through 2010 were analyzed to identify the importance of educational debt and the influence of spouses, other family members, and mentoring dentists in the decision to enter private general practice immediately after graduation. Statistical analysis included bivariate tests (t-tests and Chi-square tests) and multivariable logistic regression.Results58.9% of respondents (N = 156) planned to immediately enter private practice after dental school. Bivariate analyses revealed women to be more likely to enter private practice than their male counterparts (69.0% vs. 51.8%, p = .006). Students planning to enter practice immediately did not differ significantly from those with other career plans on the basis of marital status or having a family member in dentistry. Anticipated educational debt of at least $100,000 was positively associated with plans to enter private practice immediately after graduation. Self-reported importance of educational debt was not associated with career plans. However, the influence of a spouse, other family members, and family dentists were also positively associated with the decision to enter private practice. These factors all maintained significance in the final multivariable model (p < 0.05); however, educational debt of at least $100,000 was the strongest predictor of plans to enter private practice (OR = 2.34; p = 0.023).ConclusionsSince the 1970s, increasing numbers of dentists in the U.S. have pursued specialty training after dental school. However, rising educational debts may counter this trend as increasing numbers of dentists choose to immediately pursue general dentistry at graduation. This project has demonstrated the significant influence of educational debt, beyond other external influences.

Factors Affecting The Choice Of Professional Development Of Graduates From Dental Medicine

“…In this study, the percentage of graduates planning to immediately find and enter in clinical practice (60%) was higher than the percentage of graduates wishing to continue their professional education and similar to the percentage reported in other previous international studies (Okwuje, Anderson, & Valachovic, 2008;Nashleanas, McKernan, Kuthy, & Qian, 2014). I hypothesised that other influences to be significant factors predicting the probability of planning to enter practice immediately after dental school.…”

A survey of undergraduate orthodontic teaching and factors affecting pursuit of postgraduate training

“…In terms of encouraging or supporting dentists to undertake specialist training, the rising cost of post-graduate fees allied to the impact of centralised recruitment may have an influence with just 7.5% considering annual fees in excess of £10,000 to be reasonable. Previous research in the U.S. has indicated that educational debt in excess of $100,000 was the strongest predictor of a decision to enter private practice 28 . A requirement for mentoring to ensure that students opt for specialist training due to genuine personal interest rather than financial burden has therefore been suggested in U.S. dental schools 29 Increased availability of part-time training programmes or indeed combined training within hospital and specialist practice settings may help to mitigate these financial issues, although both require significant educational and infrastructural changes if high standards of training are to be protected.…”

Expectativas de especialización profesional en estudiantes de odontología. Revisión de literatura

“…Por otro lado, el 77% de estudiantes de odontología canadienses, consideró una carrera exclusivamente en odontología general debido a éste factor; pero si la deuda educativa no fuera un aspecto relevante, sólo el 12% seguiría considerando esta área, en beneficio de la especialización odontológica (33).…”