Assessing the Most Important Professional Values in Undergraduate Dental Education From the Perspectives of Educators

Professional values shape the identity and ethical practice of dental educators. Understanding how these values are perceived can inform curriculum development and faculty training. This study examines the ranking of professional values among dental educators and explores differences based on gender and teaching experience.

This cross-sectional study targeted dental educators from two Saudi institutions. Participants ranked four domains of professional values: Self-Enhancement, Self-Transcendence, Openness-to-Change and Conservation by their importance in dental education. Data were analysed using the Mann-Whitney U test (gender differences) and the Kruskal-Wallis test (experience differences), with post hoc Dunn's test for significant results.

Among 153 educators, 99.35% agreed on the importance of teaching professional ethics, though perceptions of institutional practices varied. Openness-to-Change and Conservation values were ranked highest, while Self-Enhancement values received the lowest priority. Male educators ranked Self-Enhancement values significantly lower than females. More experienced educators (10+ years) prioritised Self-Transcendence values over mid-career educators. Early-career educators (1-5 years) ranked Openness-to-Change values higher than senior educators.

The study highlights the need to align educational strategies with professional values. Gender and career stage influence value perceptions, offering insights for curriculum development and faculty training in dental education.