'It doesn't matter where you come from, it matters where you go': Peninsula dental students' career decisions and intentions

Introduction The south west of England is widely recognised as a 'dental desert' with limited access to NHS (National Health Service) dentistry. One of the major contributing factors to NHS capacity is recruitment and retention of dentists in the region, particularly in rural and coastal areas. Peninsula Dental School was established in 2006 to help address some of the workforce issues at that time, yet despite the success of the Dental School, many dental students still do not stay in the region following graduation.Aims This study aimed to understand factors that influence career intentions and decisions of present and past dental students of Peninsula Dental School.Methods The study used semi-structured qualitative interviews that were thematically analysed to establish key data themes.Results Five themes were identified detailing influencing factors: connections, location, undergraduate experience, professional opportunities, and financial considerations.Conclusion This study identified key factors impacting the career decisions of dentists qualifying from Peninsula Dental School which can be used to inform future decisions relating to the NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan for dentistry.