Factors and Conditions Related to Community Dentists’ Motivation for Involving in the Community Dentistry Practice Course: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

The purposes of this qualitative study was to understand factors and conditions related to community dentists’ motivation for involving in the Community Dentistry Practice Course. Twenty-one community dentists who have been participated in this course were purposively selected. The research was conducted between May to September 2013. Data was firstly collected by using In-depth interview in dentists and all academic personnel who had participated at the beginning of this practical course. Focus group discussion was then conducted with community dentists who have engaged as mentors in the course. The result was analyzed by using content and thematic analysis.

The study indicated 3 main findings:

1) Flexible management and good interpersonal relationships between community dentists and university lecturers are two crucial factors for reaching achievement, especially at the beginning,

2) Internal motivation for continuing participation in this course are mainly related to achievement motive of community dentists such as need to transfer their succeeded experiences working in community hospitals, and partly influenced by their affiliative motive, for example need to express their gratitude to the former lecturers and university,

3) Conditions related to achievement in launching out motivation are personal life conditions of mentor and community hospitals’ policy.