Transitioning to Private Dental Practice: An In-depth Exploration of Dental Graduates' Perspectives in Saudi Arabia

Graduates of the Bachelor of Dental Surgery program meet the qualifications set by Saudi universities and pass the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties License Examination to practice dentistry. However, ambiguity persists concerning their preparedness for private dentistry. This study explored how dental graduates perceive their readiness to operate in the private sector.

A qualitative study was conducted by interviewing dental graduates from different dental schools across Saudi Arabia using a semistructured interview guide with convenience sampling until thematic saturation was achieved. All interviews were verbatim transcribed and analyzed manually by two researchers working independently using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis approach.

A total of 35 participants from Saudi dental schools across five distinct regions (North, South, East, West, and Central) were included in the study. Data analysis revealed four prominent themes believed to influence participants' readiness for private practice: (1) communication skills-concerns regarding proficiency in areas crucial for ensuring patient satisfaction, (2) technical management skills-uncertainty in aspects such as practice setup and dental insurance, (3) pedagogical curriculum design-primarily tailored to public sector roles, and (4) legal and ethical issues-concerns about legal and ethical issues intrinsic to dental practice.

The transition of Saudi dental graduates into private practice is influenced by multiple obstacles, encompassing factors related to their knowledge and skills in patient communication, technical management, education curriculum design, and familiarity with legal intricacies.

Exploring dental graduates' perceptions in relation to private practice is clinically significant as it highlights specific areas, including communication skills, where effective communication with both children and parents is paramount in private dentistry; technical management; curriculum adaptation; and legal/ethical awareness, where targeted interventions can enhance the quality and safety of dental care provided in private practice. These insights can lead to improvements in dental education and practice management, ultimately benefiting both dentists and patients in the private dental sector.

Moafa I, Jafer A, Almashnawi M, et al. Transitioning to Private Dental Practice: An In-depth Exploration of Dental Graduates' Perspectives in Saudi Arabia. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2024;17(7):777-782.