Career Satisfaction Among Pediatric Dentists in the United States: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study

Purpose: To assess current trends in career satisfaction among pediatric dentists in the United States and examine associations with demographic, practice, work, and patient characteristics. Methods: A 63-item survey was distributed electronically to 6,322 pediatric dentists. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize study variables, and inferential analyses were performed to evaluate associations between satisfaction indices and demographic and practice characteristics, including gender, age, practice setting, workload, and payer mix. Results: The final analytic sample included 669 respondents (response rate=11%). Pediatric dentists reported high satisfaction with patient care and professional relationships, but lower satisfaction with income, stress, well-being, practice management, and the impact of COVID-19. Satisfaction indices differed significantly by gender, age, race, family status, practice ownership, work hours, patient volume, and Medicaid participation. Conclusions: Pediatric dentists continue to report high overall career satisfaction; however, meaningful disparities persist across demographic and professional groups. Strategies to enhance satisfaction should prioritize work-life integration, well-being, equitable practice opportunities, and targeted support for early-career dentists and those with high Medicaid participation. (Pediatr Dent 2026;48(5):385-390. E105-E113).