Career Influences Among Final Year Dental Students
The overall response rate among final year dental students was 90.1%, with 265 of 294 students responding. The ratio of male to female respondents (55% and 45%, respectively) reflected the ratio of enrolled dental students (57% and 43%). Table 1 shows the demographic characteristics and career plans of the sample population. Approximately 59% of respondents indicated that they planned to enter practice immediately after dental school; 28% of students planned to pursue specialty training after graduation. Half of the dental students anticipated at least $150,000 in educational debt at graduation, while fewer than 5% of dental students anticipated having no educational debt (Table 1).
There were no statistically significant differences between graduating classes with regards to the proportion of students planning to enter practice immediately after graduation (Table 2). However, students who planned to enter practice immediately after graduation were significantly more likely to be female and to anticipate educational debt greater than $100,000 (Table 2).
Mean levels of influence from spouses, other family members, faculty mentors, and family dentists ranged from 2.5 (parent's occupation) to 5.5 (spouse's preferences) (Figure 1). When asked to rate the influence of educational debt on post-graduation career plans (1 = Not at all, 10 = Very much), mean response level was 6.4 (SD 3.0). Forty-six percent of dental students rated the influence of educational debt as an 8 or higher. Despite having the highest overall mean level of influence (Figure 1), the influence of educational debt did not differ significantly between students planning to enter private practice and those with other career plans.
(Enlarge Image)
Figure 1.
Self-reported influence of factors†among dental students planning to enter private practice or with other career plans. †Influence rated from 1 (no influence) to 10 (very much). *Significant at p < 0.05.
Students planning to enter practice did not differ significantly from those with other career plans on the basis of marital status or having a family member in dentistry (Table 2). However, respondents who planned to enter practice immediately rated the influence of a family dentist, family other than spouse, and spouse's occupation significantly higher than students with other career plans (Figure 1). Students who reported expected debt of at least $100,000 rated the influence of this debt on their career plans significantly higher than students with lower levels of debt (mean rating = 6.9 versus 4.8, respectively; p < 0.001).
Fifty-four percent of unmarried students rated the level of influence from their spouse as greater than 1, probably indicating that a significant other had some level of influence on career plans. Despite this discrepancy between reported marital status and spousal preferences (i.e., unmarried students who reported a high level of influence from spouses), married students rated this factor significantly more influential than unmarried students (mean level = 8.0 versus 3.5, respectively; p < 0.0001). A similar response pattern was seen between marital status and the influence of a spouse's occupation; married students correspondingly rated the level of influence by this factor significantly higher than unmarried students (mean level = 4.6 versus 3.2, respectively; p = 0.001).
Dental students with an immediate family member who was a dentist or hygienist reported significantly greater mean influence on their career plans from their parent's job than respondents without a family member in dentistry (mean level = 4.9 versus 1.8, respectively; p < 0.0001). Respondents with a family member in dentistry did not rate the influence of family members besides a spouse more highly than those without a family member in dentistry (p = 0.113).
Results of the logistic regression model are shown in Table 3. No evidence of multicollinearity among predictors was seen. The effects of gender on the likelihood of planning to enter practice immediately after graduation remained statistically significant in the multivariable model; female dental students were 1.95 times as likely as their male counterparts to plan to immediately enter practice. Marital status was not significantly associated with plans to enter practice in the bivariate analyses and it did not demonstrate significance in the multivariable model. However, an interaction between marital status and the influence of spouse's occupation was significant in the regression model (p = 0.009).
For married dental students, there was no significant difference in the mean level of influence from a spouse's occupation among those students who planned to enter private practice compared to students with other post-graduation career plans (4.5 versus 4.7, respectively; p = 0.73). However, among non-married individuals, students who planned to enter practice immediately reported a higher level of influence from a spouse's occupation compared to students who had other career plans (3.9 versus 1.9, respectively; p < 0.0001).
Controlling for gender, marital status, and other variables in the full model, students with anticipated educational debt of $100,000 or greater were 2.34 times as likely as students with less anticipated debt to plan to enter practice immediately after graduation. Two other factors remained significantly related to the post-graduation career plans: spouse's occupation and the influence of a family dentist. As the perceived influence from these two factors increased, the likelihood of planning to immediately enter private practice increased.
Results
The overall response rate among final year dental students was 90.1%, with 265 of 294 students responding. The ratio of male to female respondents (55% and 45%, respectively) reflected the ratio of enrolled dental students (57% and 43%). Table 1 shows the demographic characteristics and career plans of the sample population. Approximately 59% of respondents indicated that they planned to enter practice immediately after dental school; 28% of students planned to pursue specialty training after graduation. Half of the dental students anticipated at least $150,000 in educational debt at graduation, while fewer than 5% of dental students anticipated having no educational debt (Table 1).
There were no statistically significant differences between graduating classes with regards to the proportion of students planning to enter practice immediately after graduation (Table 2). However, students who planned to enter practice immediately after graduation were significantly more likely to be female and to anticipate educational debt greater than $100,000 (Table 2).
Mean levels of influence from spouses, other family members, faculty mentors, and family dentists ranged from 2.5 (parent's occupation) to 5.5 (spouse's preferences) (Figure 1). When asked to rate the influence of educational debt on post-graduation career plans (1 = Not at all, 10 = Very much), mean response level was 6.4 (SD 3.0). Forty-six percent of dental students rated the influence of educational debt as an 8 or higher. Despite having the highest overall mean level of influence (Figure 1), the influence of educational debt did not differ significantly between students planning to enter private practice and those with other career plans.
(Enlarge Image)
Figure 1.
Self-reported influence of factors†among dental students planning to enter private practice or with other career plans. †Influence rated from 1 (no influence) to 10 (very much). *Significant at p < 0.05.
Students planning to enter practice did not differ significantly from those with other career plans on the basis of marital status or having a family member in dentistry (Table 2). However, respondents who planned to enter practice immediately rated the influence of a family dentist, family other than spouse, and spouse's occupation significantly higher than students with other career plans (Figure 1). Students who reported expected debt of at least $100,000 rated the influence of this debt on their career plans significantly higher than students with lower levels of debt (mean rating = 6.9 versus 4.8, respectively; p < 0.001).
Fifty-four percent of unmarried students rated the level of influence from their spouse as greater than 1, probably indicating that a significant other had some level of influence on career plans. Despite this discrepancy between reported marital status and spousal preferences (i.e., unmarried students who reported a high level of influence from spouses), married students rated this factor significantly more influential than unmarried students (mean level = 8.0 versus 3.5, respectively; p < 0.0001). A similar response pattern was seen between marital status and the influence of a spouse's occupation; married students correspondingly rated the level of influence by this factor significantly higher than unmarried students (mean level = 4.6 versus 3.2, respectively; p = 0.001).
Dental students with an immediate family member who was a dentist or hygienist reported significantly greater mean influence on their career plans from their parent's job than respondents without a family member in dentistry (mean level = 4.9 versus 1.8, respectively; p < 0.0001). Respondents with a family member in dentistry did not rate the influence of family members besides a spouse more highly than those without a family member in dentistry (p = 0.113).
Results of the logistic regression model are shown in Table 3. No evidence of multicollinearity among predictors was seen. The effects of gender on the likelihood of planning to enter practice immediately after graduation remained statistically significant in the multivariable model; female dental students were 1.95 times as likely as their male counterparts to plan to immediately enter practice. Marital status was not significantly associated with plans to enter practice in the bivariate analyses and it did not demonstrate significance in the multivariable model. However, an interaction between marital status and the influence of spouse's occupation was significant in the regression model (p = 0.009).
For married dental students, there was no significant difference in the mean level of influence from a spouse's occupation among those students who planned to enter private practice compared to students with other post-graduation career plans (4.5 versus 4.7, respectively; p = 0.73). However, among non-married individuals, students who planned to enter practice immediately reported a higher level of influence from a spouse's occupation compared to students who had other career plans (3.9 versus 1.9, respectively; p < 0.0001).
Controlling for gender, marital status, and other variables in the full model, students with anticipated educational debt of $100,000 or greater were 2.34 times as likely as students with less anticipated debt to plan to enter practice immediately after graduation. Two other factors remained significantly related to the post-graduation career plans: spouse's occupation and the influence of a family dentist. As the perceived influence from these two factors increased, the likelihood of planning to immediately enter private practice increased.