The job satisfaction of three comparable groups of dental professionals working in different countries was compared, and found to be lowest in Trinidad & Tobago. These findings should be interpreted with some caution given the limitations of the study. This study adopted a single item measure of career satisfaction. Whilst this allows for comparison with other studies that have used similar single item measures for example [1,4], single item measures do not allow the investigation of the specifics of the work environment that are satisfying or dissatisfying. However a single item was chosen for its convenience in a postal survey and since it was felt that it provided a simple response format comparable across the three countries, and since it had been used in previous studies [1-3]. It is still possible however that the findings represent a cultural difference in the interpretation of 'career satisfaction. The three groups differed significantly in age, and the findings may in part be attributable to age, with younger participants being less satisfied with their career.
The extent to which an individual is satisfied with their job will be determined by many factors, including the pay and employment conditions. Country of work emerged as significant in the regression model, and is likely to act as a proxy measure for the working conditions, type of payment, healthcare system and experiences of the participants. However the present study did not investigate these explanatory variables in any depth. Surprisingly, whilst satisfaction was lowest amongst dental nurses in Trinidad & Tobago, this group had the highest proportion of members who felt a 'valued' member of the team. A feeling of being valued was lowest amongst dental therapists in New Zealand, suggesting that the satisfaction item was measuring something more than the perception of being valued in a team. The three countries in the present study place similar restrictions on the practice of dental therapy, and all three propose changes in the employment of this group of healthcare professionals but differ in the extent to which this change has been implemented. The UK system has taken the most steps towards changing the employment of dental therapists, followed by the New Zealand system. Career satisfaction was lowest amongst Dental Therapists in Trinidad and Tobago where the role is most restricted. Future research should address the extent to which the characteristics of the working environment impact upon job and career satisfaction. Research with dental practitioners has determined that system of remuneration, the characteristics of the working environment, and the type of service in which an individual works all exert an influence upon the practitioner's experience of their working life [15,16,25].
There is a need for further research addressing the impact of low career satisfaction on the dental workforce, including retention of workforce, the impact on the quality patient care and interactions with patients. It might be hypothesised that a dissatisfied workforce would be more likely to leave the career or be less motivated to deliver care of a high quality. Such associations have been found in studies of physicians [26] and rehabilitation professionals [27].
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