Research: Practice setting may determine dentists’ satisfaction

By | August 25, 2015

HPIBig or small, there are pros and cons to working in various dental practice settings, and dentists measure their career satisfaction in different ways.

Researchers found that dentists working in large group settings reported more satisfaction with income and benefits than dentists in solo practices, as well as less stress compared to dentists in solo or small practices, according to ADA News.

The ADA Health Policy Institute released a study analyzing dentists’ job satisfaction within different practice settings, finding that those working in small group settings reported the highest overall career satisfaction.

HPI also released two additional studies on group practices, with one finding differences among two types of large group practice settings and the other discussing the growth in large dental practices’ market share.

“In large practice settings, providers may lose autonomy and feel enhanced pressure to produce revenue when making treatment decisions,” according to the authors. “They may have less flexible hours and schedules that could cause dissatisfaction. Conversely, they may benefit from administrative assistance, which can allow for having more predictable income and hours.

“Dentists working in solo or small group practices may have more autonomy; however, they are not immune to pressures to produce revenue, and they may have to perform more administrative tasks on top of their clinical duties. Running a small business may not suit every dentist; the burdens of financing, fixed costs and reimbursement could lead to dissatisfaction even among dentists in solo practice.”

To read more on the study, click here.

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