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Factors affecting sick leave prescribing by dentists
Anni Tuulia Kankaanpää1, Anna Liisa Suominen, Risto Juhani Tuominen
1Department of Public Health, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland. atkank@utu.fi
Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology
|April 28, 2012
Summary
Dentist prescribing of sick leave varies significantly. Factors like specialty in oral and maxillofacial surgery and working in public dental services influence prescribing duration, indicating a need for updated guidelines.
Area of Science:
- Dental Public Health
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Sick leave prescribing is a common practice among healthcare professionals.
- Understanding variations in sick leave prescription by dentists is crucial for healthcare system management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prescribing patterns of sick leave among Finnish dentists.
- To identify dentist-related and structural factors influencing these prescribing practices.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire-based study was conducted among 1132 Finnish dentists.
- Data collected included sick leave prescribing over the past year and responses to 16 hypothetical patient scenarios.
- Analysis examined the impact of dentist demographics and practice setting on sick leave prescriptions.
Main Results:
- Younger, male dentists, and those in smaller municipalities prescribed more sick leave.
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeons prescribed longer sick leave durations compared to other dental specialists.
- Dentists exclusively in public dental services (PDS) and older dentists prescribed significantly less sick leave.
Conclusions:
- Significant variability exists in dentists' sick leave prescribing practices.
- Specialization in oral and maxillofacial surgery and exclusive work in PDS were key factors influencing prescribing differences.
- Further professional education and standardized guidelines for dental sick leave prescription are recommended.
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