New stressors for GDPs in the past ten years: a qualitative study

To identify new stressors that general dental practitioners have experienced from those reported in the UK national surveys of 1986 and 1996.

Series of interviews.

General dental practices from suburban and inner city areas in two health authorities of the North West of England.

A random sample of ten general dental practitioners participated; there were no refusals.

In-depth interviews employing a research psychologist were conducted to invite comment on the areas of work pressure they had experienced during the past ten years. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and content analysed.

More than 130 statements categorised into 29 topics referred to pressures related to work. There was good agreement (93%) between authors and an independent assessor when a sort of the statements into the defined categories was completed. The most referred area of stress was the system changes of running a practice and the possibility of further changes. Patient expectations were considered to be rising. Aggression exhibited by some patients in the practice, the risk of cross-infection, litigation and the dentist working as a team member were newly identified stressors not included in original classifications of dental work pressure.

Dental practitioners from this small study identified uncertainty in the future of the organisation of dental care provision as the most important new pressure of work.