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ePaper created 2016-05-27, 08:08:36 | version 1.38.0
Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition | 4+5/2016 06 WORLD NEWS By DTI KUOPIO, Finland: Competent lead- ership from a motivated work- forceisimportant,especiallyinthe demanding health care sector. Aiming to understand the reasons for which some dentists in leading positions become frustrated and leave, whereas others thrive, re- searchers from the University of Eastern Finland have investigated factors that influence work satis- faction and associated career choices of dentist leaders. In order to investigate factors associated with the likelihood of a dentist staying in or leaving a lead- ership position, the researchers utilised the method of empathy- based stories, through which the participants peered five years into their imaginary future. In their es- says, Group 1 imagined a situation inwhichtheywereplanningtoquit their management role, while Group 2 imagined staying in their leadership position. According to the researchers, participants in both groups re- gardedworkingasaleaderasapos- itivechallengeandagoodopportu- nity to supplement or compensate for clinical work. Moreover, educa- tionseemedtobeaveryimportant factorindeterminingtheintention to take up a leadership position. Enervating and intent-to-leave factors named were stress, the excessive number of duties, the loneliness of the leadership posi- tion, the lack of support, and staff- related difficulties. In contrast, supporting factors that motivated individuals to seek and remain in leadership positions were enthu- siasm for leadership supported by education, the possibility of achieving meaningful impact, a positive working community and the opportunity to promote oral health care as part of health care. While both groups were hopeful that conditions would improve in their organisation in the future, participants generally expressed major concerns about ongoing changes, mainly the uncertainty and instability in the health care sector and the status of oral health care. Based on the findings, the re- searchers concluded that it is es- sential to provide dentist leaders with necessary education, support and time for leadership in order to motivate individuals to seek and stayindemandingandchallenging leadership positions and achieve personal satisfaction and fulfil- ment. Of the 25 participants in the study, the mean experience as a dentistwas20yearsandasadentist leader was 2.5 years. The study, titled “Factors asso- ciated with staying or leaving a dentist leader’s position—A qua- litative study”, was published on- line on 16 April in the BMC Oral Health journal. Studyinvestigatesfactorsthatinfluence work satisfaction of dentist leaders AD Dental Tribune welcomes com- ments, suggestions and complaints at newsroom@dental-tribune.com. For quick access to ourcontactform,you may also scan the followingQRcode. DTUK0416_06_Study 25.05.16 10:18 Seite 1 DTUK0416_06_Study 25.05.1610:18 Seite 1