Ten years on: an online questionnaire evaluation of the UK special care dentistry specialist workforce

Woolley, Stephen and Lau, Winto 2021. Ten years on: an online questionnaire evaluation of the UK special care dentistry specialist workforce. British Dental Journal 10.1038/s41415-021-2946-7

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Abstract

Aims To provide information on the demographics and work patterns of the UK special care dentistry (SCD) specialist workforce. Design A self-administered electronic questionnaire. Setting All UK-based SCD specialists on the membership of the British Society for Disability and Oral Health and the British Society of Gerodontology. Materials and methods An electronic questionnaire was distributed to a potential 301 SCD specialists. Responses were descriptively analysed. Results One hundred responses (33%) were received. The majority of respondents were female (74%) and/or of white ethnicity (86%). Three-quarters (78%) were based in England and a third (37%) were based in South East England. Two-thirds (66%) worked in the community dental service. Forty-eight percent work part-time and 32% have had a career break. Forty-three percent are planning to retire by 2026 and approximately half (53%) plan to retire by 2031. A significant minority (44%) do not feel appropriately paid. Conclusions Workforce planners should anticipate the impact on specialist provision due to a combination of a predominantly female workforce with associated working patterns, an anticipated loss of numbers and experience, and the effect financial dissatisfaction may have on attracting trainees. Efforts should be made to increase racial diversity.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Dentistry
Publisher:	British Dental Association
ISSN:	0007-0610
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	14 October 2021
Date of Acceptance:	28 July 2020
Last Modified:	06 Nov 2023 18:28
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/144859

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