The Status of Dental Health Human Resources in Hebron District

Abstract

Abstract This study aims to describe the status of dental health human resources in Hebron district; demographical and personal characteristics, workload and busyness index, financial income satisfaction, productivity and development scopes, and factors enhancingand those hindering the quality of service provided. This was achieved by cross sectional descriptive study conducted between 5th June to 24th July 2017. A questionnaire was sent to 455 working or looking for work dentists in Hebron district, 264 questionnaires were returnedback witha response rate of(58%). The results showed that males form (66.8%) of dentists at Hebron district. Dentists' average age was 35 years,(45.9%) of them are working in Hebron city itself, and (37.4%)are working in another city withinHebron district. Most of the dentists (87%) had only bachelor degree, (76%)have work and they are stable in their workplace. The vast majority of dentists(89%) are working in the private sector. The average dentist in Hebron works for 8.3 hours per day, 5.9 days per week, treats 9 patients per day, and hasonly 10.8days as personal vacation each year. The busyness index for the districtis 1.79 as (39.2%) of the dentists are notbusy and could treat more patients, while (45.2%)haveenough patients and don’t feel overloaded. (50%) of the dentists are able to treat more than 10 patients extra to their current clients. Neither gender nor place of work affects the busyness index. Alternatively level of satisfaction of income and busyness index are strongly related. The level of satisfaction of dentists' of income is moderate. There is a significant statistical difference according to gender, compliancewiththe price list, and current status of work. Meanwhile place of work has no statistically significant difference associated with level of satisfaction of income. Dentists atHebron concern of continuing education as 52.9% of them attended a conference in 2017 and 69% have attended a training course since 2016. Participants also identified that Pedodontics (65%), endodontics (62%), and periodontics (48%) are the most needed specialties in Hebron. The factors that can enhancethe level of provided service according to dentists participated in this study are mainly: Availability of equipment, patients' attitude, continuous education, profit, and patients' compliance to appointments. On the other hand,they think the factors decreasing the level of services are mainly: negative patient's attitude, poor financial commitment, poor patients' compliance to appointments, and colleagues' price competition. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended to establish a coordination committee for oral health composed of key stakeholders, encourage universities and dental association to establishpost graduate programs,campaigns for increasing the awareness of population for their oral heath, and a continuous education program that should be developed and activated.