Career motivations, perceptions of the future of dentistry and preferred dental specialties among saudi dental students

Career aspirations of dental students: insights from a multinational study using social cognitive career theory (SCCT)

Background

Dental students' career choices are shaped by many factors, including their personal abilities and goals, environmental factors and the resources available to them. Understanding the drivers for this career pathway decision is crucial for educational institutions' development of comprehensive curricula. This study applies Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) to investigate the professional aspirations of dental students globally, providing insights into the factors that influence career choices of dental students from different regions to understand how personal, socioeconomic and cultural differences influence their decisions.

Methods

A cross-sectional, multicentred survey was conducted between May and July 2023, involving 1964 dental students from over 20 countries. Self-administered questionnaires based on SCCT were used to assess participants' self-efficacy, professional and personal outcome expectations, career goals, and career path preferences. Statistical analysis, including multivariable logistic regression and mediation analysis, was employed to identify the relationships between the SCCT framework, sociodemographic factors and career aspirations.

Results

The study revealed that 51.2% of participants preferred a specialty in clinical dentistry, while 28.1% aimed for general dentistry. Mediation analysis demonstrated notable pathways from career planning training to career aspirations through self-efficacy, professional and personal expectations. Self-efficacy mediated 26.7%-98.65% of the effect on career preferences coming forward as a key mediator. Demographic statistics demonstrated that regional and economic differences significantly impacted students' career choice, where students from higher-income countries reported more likely to choose general dentistry and those from lower-income countries were more drawn to specialty fields or public health.

Conclusions

This study offers new insights into the global career aspirations of dental students through the prism of the SCCT. These findings highlight the need for dental schools and associations to offer tailored career planning training based on students' backgrounds at an early phase of their education. Providing support and career guidance, especially in underserved regions, can help students make informed decisions that align with their personal and professional goals. This will ultimately contribute to a more diverse and well-prepared global dental workforce.

How does gender influence student learning, stress and career choice in endodontics?

The influence of gender is underexplored in endodontic educational research. This review examines the effect of gender on learning within the domains of skill acquisition, performance and difficulties encountered. It also analyses the stress and confidence experienced by male and female students during clinical endodontics, as well as their preparedness at the end of their undergraduate studies. Finally, this review analyses the influence of gender on student career choices in dentistry with a focus on endodontics. The review highlights that gender is invariably studied as a secondary outcome in endodontic education. Based on current evidence, it appears that female students tend to underestimate their skills and knowledge more than male counterparts in endodontics. They are also often more stressed than males, feeling less confident and not as prepared. A recognition of gender differences in learning and stress management is important. Student aspirations regarding their choice of endodontic postgraduate speciality appear to be relatively well balanced in terms of gender. Finally, there is a need for further research to elucidate more clearly the impact of gender in endodontic education and endodontic career choice.

Saudi dental postgraduate education (2013-2023): demographic shifts and potential employment challenges

BACKGROUND

Dentistry is essential for oral health, focusing on the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of oral diseases. In recent decades, Saudi Arabia has expanded its dental education system, adding new dental schools and postgraduate programs to meet the growing demand for professionals. This study provided a detailed analysis of the trends and demographic characteristics of dental postgraduate programs in Saudi Arabia between 2013 and 2023.

METHODS

This retrospective study collected data on dental postgraduate programs from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) for the period from January 2013 to December 2023. Data were gathered on program types, gender, nationality, and geographic distribution. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze trends and distributions. Key variables included the number of postgraduate dental specialty programs, enrolled students, and training levels (board, fellowship). Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was obtained, and the data was processed using Microsoft Excel 2016.

RESULTS

The study revealed a total of 1,520 dental postgraduates, with a near-equal gender distribution (51.4% males and 48.6% females). Saudi nationals represented 94.8% of board residency graduates, while 2.4% were non-Saudis. Riyadh had the highest concentration of postgraduates, followed by Makkah. A significant increase in postgraduate enrollment was observed, peaking at 398 in 2023.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicate significant growth in Saudi dental postgraduate programs, with regional disparities and increasing numbers of graduates. However, this growth raises concerns about potential unemployment among dental postgraduates, as the number of available positions may not match the surge in graduates. Policymakers must evaluate the expanding programs and their potential impact on the Saudi dental workforce.

Assessing the need for a doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Endodontics: perspective and implication for advancing dental education and research in Saudi Arabia

AIM

This study aims to evaluate the necessity and feasibility of integrating a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree into Endodontic programs at the Faculty of Dentistry King Abdulaziz University, (KAUFD), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and to gather insights from key stakeholders regarding the value and necessity of a Ph.D. in enhancing the field of Endodontics.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An online questionnaire link was distributed among potential Ph.D. candidates and key decision-makers in Endodontics in Saudi Arabia through social media and emails to members of the Saudi Endodontic Society and the Saudi Endodontic Journal. The questionnaire assessed demographics, professional background, interest in Ph.D. programs, program preferences, perceived need for Ph.D. programs in various sectors, and university selection criteria. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 23).

RESULTS

141 responses were received. Most respondents were aged 31-40, with an almost equal gender distribution. In terms of current position, a significant number were Endodontic consultants (35.7%) and Endodontic residents/Master students (28.6%) (P = 0.006). Additionally, a considerable proportion of probable prospective students had less than 5 years of expertise (45.7%) (p = 0.013), and the highest degree held by many was a bachelor's degree (35.7%) (P = 0.007). Key considerations for prospective students were program duration, Saudi Commission for Health Specialists (SCFHS) recognition, part-time options, and cost. The importance of acquiring research skills, such as learning new research technologies and gaining publication experience, was also highlighted.

CONCLUSION

The findings strongly suggest a need for a Ph.D. program in Endodontics in Saudi Arabia. The results provide valuable insights for developing a program that aligns with potential candidates' and key stakeholders' needs and preferences, thereby advancing Endodontic research and education within the country.

Motivations, attitudes for choosing dental profession and preferred dental specialties amongst Turkish dental students

AIM

The aim of the study was to investigate the influential factors for choosing dentistry, their thoughts about the profession, their expectations for the future and their thoughts about the specialisation of dental students from all grades in the School of Dentistry, Marmara University.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Socio-demographic information, influential factors the choice of profession, thoughts and expectations about dentistry, and thoughts about the specialisation were evaluated in the questionnaire that included different question types in four separate sections. Chi-square test was used to assess the relationship between categorical variables, and multiple linear regression was performed to examine the combined effects of variables that influence the always dream of becoming a dentist.

RESULTS

462 of the 471 participants from all grades who agreed to participate in the study completed the questionnaire with a response rate of 98.1%. It was seen that the students' clinical experience made differences in almost half of their motivational sources for choosing dentistry and their views on future opinions and expectations (p < .05). In addition to clinical experience, gender also made a statistically significant differences in almost all answers in the students' opinions about specialisation (p < .05).

CONCLUSION

From the results of the study, the majority of Turkish dental students were self-motivated compared to familial and environmental factors for choosing dentistry as a career. The career motivations of them seemed to be associated with the socioeconomic aspects of dentistry, whereas the perceptions regarding the future of dentistry seemed to be associated with the need for postgraduate education.

Perception of Dental Students on Gender Preferences in Career Choice, Plans, and Expectations in Dentistry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Introduction:

Gender-based preferences are common in dental practice and maybe even more prevalent in academic dentistry. A large number of females have been entering the practice of general dentistry for the past two decades. The present study was done to assess dental students' perception of gender preferences in dentistry using a questionnaire in Saudi Arabia.

Materials and Methods:

A survey was conducted using a pretested questionnaire among dental interns pursuing their internship at different dental schools in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaires were distributed to 482 interns who were willing to participate in the survey. All the responses were collected, tabulated, and analyzed accordingly using appropriate statistical methods.

Results:

Four hundred and eighty-two dental interns (180 males and 302 females) responded to the survey. Most female interns (68%) prefer female patients for their treatments to the opposite gender. Seventy-five percent of the male interns felt more capable than females to handle stress and workload associated with branches such as prosthodontics, surgery, and implantology. 52.1% felt that female students fared well in academics.

Conclusion:

The present study shows that more females are taking up this profession in the current situation. It also shows that females are as competitive as males in dentistry and that most of the dental interns want to take up postgraduation after completion of the course. Both males and females are given equal working space and respect in this field of dentistry.

A University-based Survey of Career Choices and Perspectives on Higher Education among Dental Students in United Arab Emirates

Background:

Over the past decade, higher education has made significant progress in the Gulf Corporation Council Region (GCC) due to the promotion and investments made by the local governments. Medical and dental higher education has undergone massive transformation across all the universities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) due to the implementation of innovative educational policies.

Objectives:

The objective of the survey was to determine the career choices and assess the perspectives on higher education among dental students of a medical university in the UAE.

Methodology:

Structured closed-ended survey questionnaire was provided to 377 respondents at a dental school of a private medical university in UAE.

Results:

The results of the survey revealed that 51% of the respondents wanted to pursue specialization in dentistry. Orthodontics (33%), endodontics (28%) and oral surgery (16%) were the most preferred branches for specialization. UAE was the most preferred destination for pursuing specialization. Quality of education and proximity to the family were the most common reasons for selecting UAE as the destination for specialization. 36% of the survey respondents wanted more dental post-graduate seats to be available in the UAE. 57% of the survey respondents felt that the cost of post-graduation is comparable to other countries. 64% of the survey respondents felt that Doctor of Philosophy(PhD) program should be offered by medical universities in the UAE.

Conclusion:

To conclude it can be stated that dental undergraduate students in the UAE prefer to pursue specialization in clinical branches like orthodontics, endodontics and oral surgery. Majority of the respondents prefer to pursue their specialization in the UAE due to the quality of education. Survey respondents felt that there was a need to offer more dental post-graduation and dental PhD programs by UAE universities.

Motivation to Follow a Career in Dentistry of Students in Three South-East European Countries

Objective

To investigate and compare the factors that motivated students to study dentistry in countries with similar background (Albania, Croatia and the Republic of Northern Macedonia) and to assess whether or not their motivation changed during time.

Material and methods

In 2014/2015, cross-sectional studies were conducted in state funded dental schools in Tirana (Albania), Zagreb (Croatia) and Skopje (Macedonia) to assess student views on their career motivation. All dental students from the first, third and final years of study were invited to participate. The participation was voluntary and anonymous. A five-item questionnaire was translated into languages of the participating countries. Ethics approval was granted by the Ethics Committee of the University of Saints Cyril and Methodius, Skopje. The Chi square test was used to test if there were statistically significant differences in answers between students in 3 countries, furthermore between years of the study.

Results

The total number of respondents was 739 (319 in Tirana, 211 in Zagreb and 208 in Skopje) The differences in the answers between the first-year students from all three countries were statistically significant (χ²=82.65; p<.01). The most striking answer was to the question on parents' pressure to study dentistry, which was far more frequent in Tirana (up to 27.7%). A "positive image" was the most frequent response from students from Zagreb (up to 79.7%), but it declined from the first to the final year in Skopje. There were also significant differences between the schools within the 3^rdand final years of study.

Conclusions

A positive image of dental profession was the main reason for students studying dentistry at all three schools; as many as 97% of the students of the final year in Croatia, a member of the European Union (EU). In the two non-EU countries (Albania, Macedonia) it seemed that dental profession does not have such good status and student expectations are not being fulfilled, especially in Skopje (up to 33.9% willing to change their vocation and up to 64.5% lost their motivation to study) One of the strategies to improve the situation could be to include more clinical practice and to better organize the study..

Possible Future Career Challenges and Associated Factors among Dental Students and Interns

BACKGROUND

Dental students face a variety of challenges as they enter the dental profession. The study aimed at assessing dental students' opinions about their perceived future career challenges in the dental profession and the associated factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study of 637 students representing different public and private dental colleges was conducted in Saudi Arabia. The participants responded to a pretested questionnaire conducted online.

RESULTS

There were 59.7% (n = 380) of males and 40.3% (n = 257) of females, and the mean age of the students was 21.80 (±2.14) years. The majority of participants thought that they will have difficulties in establishing their private clinic (63.9%) and finding a government job (>60%). Senior students were more likely to perceive getting a government job (OR = 1.79, P = 0.02), securing an admission into specialty program (OR = 2.75, P = 0.001), and establishing a private dental clinic (OR = 2.51, P = 0.001) as future career challenges than junior students. Similarly, female gender was associated with increased perception of challenges about finding a government job (OR = 1.911, P = 0.002), getting an admission into specialty program (OR = 1.5, P = 0.038), and establishing a private clinic (OR = 2.02, P = 0.001). In addition, low academic score and low level of father's education were associated with increased odds of perceiving challenges of finding a government job and getting an admission into specialty programs.

CONCLUSIONS

Establishing a private clinic and getting a government job were the most common career challenges. Senior students, female students, and students with low academic scores had increased likelihood of facing employment and academic-related difficulties.

Career opportunities in periodontics: A road map to the future

A solid career plan is crucial as it can provide a roadmap to the future. The motivating factors for selecting any career are complex, and periodontics is no exception. Periodontics is a dynamic profession that includes sophisticated treatment planning and a wide variety of treatment modalities ranging from conventional to advanced therapies. It is a unique branch of dentistry that enables both saving teeth and also replacing them in an effective way with implants. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of various career opportunities for a periodontist. Career options in periodontics are manifold and diverse, enabling a periodontist a professionally gratifying and secure lifestyle. Future of the profession of periodontics appears exciting and rewarding but is not likely to happen without great effort and challenges. However, periodontics is not a static field and continues to evolve leaving a periodontist with no dearth in career opportunities.

Comparisons of the predictive values of admission criteria for academic achievement among undergraduate students of health and non-health science professions: a longitudinal cohort study

Objective

The main objective of this study was to compare the predictive value of admission criteria for students’ grade point averages (GPAs) over a 3-year period for a cohort of students enrolled in health and non-health science professions during the 2012–2013 academic year at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU).

Materials and methods

This longitudinal, retrospective cohort study was conducted at eight colleges (four health and four non-health colleges) in IAU between December 2017 and February 2018. The high school grades, aptitude test scores, achievement test scores, and GPA scores over a 3-year period for students admitted during the 2012–2013 academic year at health and non-health colleges at IAU were used. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results

Positive, significant correlations (P<0.01) were found between the three admission criteria and the annual GPA scores (r ranged from 0.192 to 0.499 and from 0.359 to 0.588) for both the health and non-health colleges. High school grades were the most significant predictor of annual GPAs (β=0.340, P<0.01 and β=0.374, P<0.01), followed by achievement test scores in both health and non-health fields of study, respectively. Aptitude test scores were not good predictors of GPAs for the health and non-health colleges.

Conclusion

High school grades are the most important predictor of student GPAs at health and non-health colleges. Changing the weighting criteria in our institution to place more emphasis on high school grades, as our findings indicate, should be considered during the admission process.

Career perspectives of senior dental students from different backgrounds at a single Middle Eastern institution

BACKGROUND

Differences between dental students in terms of social, economic and cultural backgrounds are likely to impact their professional career plans. The aim of this study was to explore the professional career plans among final year dental students from different backgrounds at a single Middle Eastern institution (Jordan university of Science and Technology-JUST).

METHODS

Fifth year dental students at JUST were invited to fill out a paper based self-administered questionnaire. Data was collected on students` demographics, their future career plans and the impact of social and economic changes on such plans, their interest in postgraduate studies and the specialty of choice in addition to the influence of a group of factors on that choice. Data was also collected on the value of non-academic workshops, guidance regarding career plans, participants` preferred pattern of work (full-time versus part-time) and retirement plans. Students were categorized according to their nationalities. Pearson's chi squared test, one way ANOVA and post hoc tests were used to measure statistical significance between measured variables and backgrounds of participants. The level of significance was set at P ≤ 0.05.

RESULTS

A total of 227 students completed the survey (response rate = 84%). 47% of the participants were Jordanians, 27% were Malaysians, 11% were from Gulf States (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar), 10% were from conflict zones in the Middle East (Syria, Iraq, Palestine and Yemen) and 5% comprised students from other nationalities. Significant differences were found between students from different backgrounds in their funding sources (Chi square = 132, P < 0.01), practice plans (Chi square = 43, P < 0.01), the impact of social and economic changes on their career choices (Chi square = 34, P < 0.01), planned work pattern within the first 10 years post-graduation (chi square = 18, P < 0.05) and 10-20 years after graduation (69%, Chi square = 22, P < 0.01) and retirement plans (Chi square = 25, P < 0.05). Students from different nationalities agreed on most factors affecting their choice of a specialty, except for the reputation of the specialty (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Several differences in career plans were found between dental students from variable backgrounds studying a single institution. Many of these disparities could reflect variations in socioeconomic backgrounds.

Reasons for choosing dentistry as a career among dental students in Saudi Arabia

Objective:

This study aimed to identify reasons and influential factors for choosing dentistry as a career among dental students in Saudi Arabia. The preferred field of dental specialty following graduation will also be investigated.

Materials and Methods:

A questionnaire was developed and circulated among undergraduate dental students studying at a private dental college in Saudi Arabia. A list of 16 reasons that possibly influenced students' decision to study dentistry was presented and participants were invited to indicate on a 5-point Likert scale the extent each reason influenced their choice of dentistry as a career. The listed reasons were categorized into economic, professional, vocational, social and personal reasons.

Results:

Totally, 788 out of 970 questionnaires were completed (response rate: 81%). Proportion of female students exceeded proportion of male students (59% and 41%, respectively) and most participants were Saudi students (73%). The top three influential factors on students' decision to study dentistry were “Dentistry is a prestigious profession,” “I like to treat people and improve their appearance,” and “I like working with people and caring for them.” Variations were identified between male and female students and also between Saudi and non-Saudi students in the reasons to choose dentistry as a career. The vast majority of participants (94%) expressed a desire to follow a postgraduate study. Orthodontics and oral surgery were the most preferred dental specialties.

Conclusion:

The social and vocational reasons were the main factors that motivated this group of dental students to attend a dental program. Greater training opportunities should be planned to accommodate the speculated increasing demand for postgraduate dental education in Saudi Arabia.

Professional Aspirations and Cultural Expectations: A Qualitative Study of Saudi Females in Dentistry

The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of Saudi female dentists and dental students on their motivation for and expectations of a career in dentistry. Twenty-one semistructured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of Saudi female dentists (postgraduate students, generalists, specialists, academics, and unemployed), along with final-year female dental students from public and private dental schools. A topic guide, informed by the literature and piloted on a representative group of Saudi dentists, was used to guide the discourse. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and then analyzed using framework analysis. We found that highly academic achieving females are interested in a prestigious, financially rewarding career in health care that fulfills their family and community expectations of balancing family life with work. Features of the job that facilitate this balance such as regular hours and no on-call were commonly important. A range of professional interests, most importantly specialization and holding academic positions, often involving studying abroad, emerged. Females' movement between sectors, location of work, and practice patterns in this study were shaped by their domestic circumstances. The findings suggest that Saudi females in dentistry aspire to fulfill their interest in a successful, professional, highly prestigious, progressive career while recognizing cultural expectations and maintaining a family-work balance and perceive this is possible through a career in dentistry. Knowledge Transfer Statement: This study makes an important contribution to the knowledge on this topic. The findings can inform decisions made by policy makers on dental education and workforce planning, as well as future dentists who plan to join the dental workforce. It gives insight into the motivation and career expectations of Saudi females in dentistry in light of the current economic and cultural changes, as well as their implication for the dental workforce.

Practicing Dentists' Self-Efficacy and Associated Factors in Managing the Treatment of Adults with Mental and Physical Disabilities: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background: Provision of oral healthcare to adults with mental and physical disabilities (AMPD) remains a challenging area across various healthcare systems. The present study aimed to assess self-reported efficacy and investigate factors associated with self-efficacy in the management of AMPD among practicing dentists in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A pilot-tested, self-administered questionnaire was distributed to a convenience sample of 1000 dentists. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed on the collected responses. Results: Among the respondents (54%), 43% were males. Only 14% described their self-efficacy in managing AMPD as "High". Multivariable regression analyses revealed significant associations between "High" self-efficacy and male gender (Odd ratio (OR) = 2.39, 95% CI = 1.16-4.89), experience practicing dentistry for 11 years or more (OR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.04-4.47), specialization in pediatric dentistry (OR = 3.98, 95% CI = 1.31-12.07), previous experience in managing AMPD (OR = 4.23, 95% CI = 1.59-11.22), and awareness of regulations for managing AMPD (OR = 2.62, 95% CI = 1.42-4.38). The interaction of gender x age was significantly associated (p = 0.028) with "High" self-efficacy. Gender-stratified analyses revealed a significant association between age and "High" self-efficacy among male dentists only. Conclusions: The findings of the present study highlight that a large percentage of dentists reported "Low/Moderate" self-efficacy in managing AMPD, particularly among female dentists. However, further studies are required to verify the factors associated with self-efficacy in the present study, and to identify other factors that may influence self-efficacy in managing AMPD.

Dental specialty, career preferences and their influencing factors among final year dental students in Saudi Arabia

Objective

The purpose of this study was to investigate evolving trends in dental post graduate specialty preferences and career aspirations among final year dental students in Saudi Arabia.

Materials and methods

A cross sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted among final year dental students from seventeen universities in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire enquired about socio-demographic details and the ranking of three of their best preferences among the list of specialties/general dentistry and career options. They were also enquired about their opinion regarding the total time required to become a dentist and their intention to go for further studies abroad. The questionnaire assessed factors influencing their choices using a 5 point Likert scale ranging from extremely important to not important. Binary logistic regression to examine the combined effect of several independent variables on the likelihood of choosing a dental specialization/general dentistry and career option were analyzed.

Results

The overall response rate was 64.6%. Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry was the most preferred specialty (n = 98; 17.7%) followed by Endodontics (n = 78; 14.1%); Prosthodontics (n = 65; 11.7%) and Orthodontics (n = 63; 11.4%). The two most preferred careers were ‘Civilian dentist in public sector’ followed by ‘Academic services dentist’. Overall, students reported that the influence of family members in the dental profession, preference for private practice and specific interest in patient population as the most important factors in choosing a specialty/general dentistry. Intellectual content of the specialty was ranked the least important. On the other hand, the most important factors for choosing a career were variety of non-clinical duties, access to child care facilities and research opportunities.

Conclusion

The results of this study show the top preferred specialties and career choices which can be a baseline for establishing national policies and for the improvement of graduate programs. There seems to be a need to promote mentoring activities and provide guidance and encouragement to pre-doctoral dental students in selecting the most appropriate specialty within their capability domain.

Factor analysis of a motivation questionnaire adapted to predoctoral French dental students

Background/purpose

The motivations of dental students for their studies have largely been investigated in numerous countries using psychometric questionnaires. This is not the case in France since validated tools are still lacking. The aim of the present work was dedicated to the psychometric validation of a motivation questionnaire adapted for predoctoral French dental students.

Material and methods

The design corresponded to a monocentric study realized at the dental school of Nantes University, France. A 14-item questionnaire was translated into French and adapted for dental studies. It was autoadministered by the students between March 2014 and May 2014. Exploratory and confirmatory factorial analyses were used to investigate the psychometric properties of the French version.

Results

The rate of reply was 88.7% with a sex allocation consisting of 44.4% men and 55.6% women. The internal reliability and the item-sampling adequacy of the questionnaire reached acceptance thresholds. Exploratory and confirmatory factorial analyses established a four-factor structure with good internal reliability. The factors consisted in “altruism,” “status and incomes,” “scientific curiosity,” and “educational advantages.” Factors correlated well with the overall questionnaire. The overall motivation score did not differ between male and female students, although “altruism” was best scored by female students while “status and incomes” obtained a higher score in the population of male students. Both male and female students displayed similar “scientific curiosity” and “educational advantages” scorings.

Conclusion

Our data establish that the French motivation questionnaire has good psychometric properties and that it is relevant for further studies.

Working environment and specialty of choice chosen by the dental students at Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

Objectives:

This cross-sectional study was conducted to explore the specialty chosen by the dental students for postgraduate studies and the future aspirations of students in a Saudi Arabia dental college.

Materials and Methods:

Of the total number of 120 questionnaires that were distributed, 107 subjects responded with selective responses and a response rate of 89%. A descriptive survey was conducted using one of the questionnaires among the students of dentistry at the dental college, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj among male students (men's college) for a period of 2 months. The data were analyzed using the statistical software program, predictive analytics software Statistics version 22.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).

Results:

A hundred and seven of the 120 students took part in the study. A passion for orthodontics (42.9%) was reported to be the most important factor that influenced the decision to pursue specialty training in orthodontics followed by intellectual stimulation/challenge (25%). The decision to pursue orthodontics was made by 32.1% of the respondents while in dental school; 35.7% took the decision after completing dental school during private practice and 14.3% during a dental residency, whereas 3.6% had already decided before initiating their dental school studies. Working in a private practice environment was preferred by 11 residents (39.3%). Only four residents indicated that they would most likely be practicing in an academic setting while 10 were undecided.

Conclusions:

The zest for nonclinical specialties is less among students at Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University's dental college, Saudi Arabia.

Orthodontics as a prospective career choice among undergraduate dental students: A prospective study

Objectives:

The purposes of this study were to investigate the factors influencing the career choice of dental students and to identify the future life plans of the students at Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University Dental College who had chosen orthodontics as their future specialty.

Materials and Methods:

An epidemiological descriptive survey was conducted using a set of questionnaire among the second year to fourth year students at Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia. Data were categorized by demographic variables and were analyzed with statistical methods using descriptive statistical analysis.

Results:

The most important factor influencing the decision to pursue specialty in orthodontics was considering that “orthodontics is intellectually challenging” (23%), followed by “previous positive experience” (15%). The decision to become an orthodontist was made by 3.7% of the respondents in the first year of their course, 44.4% in the second year of their study, 11.1% during the third year of their study, 25.9% during the fourth year of their study, while none of them had made their decision during the final year of their dental school studies. Only one student (3.7) said he planned to work in a private college in an academic setting, five students (18.5%) had plans to do private practice, two students indicated that they would work for the Ministry of Health, while most students (40.7%) reported that they were planning to try a combination of all of the above. Six students (22.2%) remained undecided.

Conclusions:

Majority of the students who had chosen orthodontics as their future specialty of choice at Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University Dental College, Saudi Arabia had taken up this specialty as they felt that orthodontics was intellectually challenging.

Students' motivation to study dentistry in Malaysia: an analysis using confirmatory factor analysis

INTRODUCTION

Malaysia has experienced a significant expansion of dental schools over the past decade. Research into students' motivation may inform recruitment and retention of the future dental workforce. The objectives of this study were to explore students' motivation to study dentistry and whether that motivation varied by students' and school characteristics.

METHODS

All 530 final-year students in 11 dental schools (6 public and 5 private) in Malaysia were invited to participate at the end of 2013. The self-administered questionnaire, developed at King's College London, collected information on students' motivation to study dentistry and demographic background. Responses on students' motivation were collected using five-point ordinal scales. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to evaluate the underlying structure of students' motivation to study dentistry. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to compare factor scores for overall motivation and sub-domains by students' and school characteristics.

RESULTS

Three hundred and fifty-six final-year students in eight schools (all public and two private) participated in the survey, representing an 83% response rate for these schools and 67% of all final-year students nationally. The majority of participants were 24 years old (47%), female (70%), Malay (56%) and from middle-income families (41%) and public schools (78%). CFA supported a model with five first-order factors (professional job, healthcare and people, academic, careers advising and family and friends) which were linked to a single second-order factor representing overall students' motivation. Academic factors and healthcare and people had the highest standardized factor loadings (0.90 and 0.71, respectively), suggesting they were the main motivation to study dentistry. MANOVA showed that students from private schools had higher scores for healthcare and people than those in public schools whereas Malay students had lower scores for family and friends than those from minority ethnic groups. No differences were found by age, sex, family income and school type.

CONCLUSION

Using CFA, this study shows that academic factors were the main motivation to study dentistry in this group of Malaysian students. There were also variations in students' motivation by students' ethnicity and school sector but not by other factors.