Dentists' attitudes toward auxiliaries in Malaysia

A postal questionnaire survey concerning dentists' attitudes toward auxiliaries in Malaysia resulted in a 73.1 per cent response rate. The result of the study indicates that whilst the majority of the dentists agreed that dental auxiliaries usually increase productivity and permit the dentists to devote more time for more challenging tasks, a majority felt uncomfortable to be held accountable for the performance of auxiliaries. A majority of the dentists agreed that dental auxiliaries work best under direct supervision. The perceived value of the auxiliaries was more positive among public sector dentists as compared to private practitioners. Almost three-quarters of the dentists were positive towards legalising properly trained auxiliaries to work in private practice performing mainly preventive procedures. The implications of these findings relative to existing regulations, mode of practice and the future prospect in the delivery of oral health care are discussed.