BDA hospital dentists survey 2017.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Workforce Research
• Dental Public Health
• Occupational Psychology

Background:

• The Hospital Dental Services (HDS) workforce in the UK lacks comprehensive demographic and motivational data.
• Previous workforce research in this sector has been limited.
• The British Dental Association (BDA) initiated a study to address this knowledge gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the demographics and geographical distribution of hospital dentists in the UK.
• To assess the morale and motivation levels of the HDS workforce.
• To establish a baseline for future workforce planning and support within hospital dentistry.

Main Methods:

• A survey was conducted by the British Dental Association (BDA) in 2016.
• Data collection focused on hospital dental members of the BDA.
• Freedom of information requests were used to validate the representativeness of the survey data against the broader HDS workforce.

Main Results:

• The survey provides the first published workforce research specifically for the Hospital Dental Services (HDS).
• BDA HDS member data is considered representative of the overall HDS workforce.
• Analysis highlighted the distribution of smaller dental specialties, with some appearing exclusively at the dental school level.
• Morale and motivation levels were assessed in relation to various dental roles within the HDS.

Conclusions:

• This study offers crucial insights into the structure and well-being of the UK's HDS workforce.
• Findings on specialty distribution may inform recruitment and retention strategies.
• Understanding morale is vital for addressing potential workforce challenges in hospital dentistry.