Job satisfaction among Canadian orthodontists

Job satisfaction has been well researched for many professions, including general dentistry. The job satisfaction of orthodontists has not been adequately studied. The aims of this study were to describe job satisfaction among orthodontists and to determine characteristics associated with job satisfaction in the profession. A self-administered, anonymous survey was mailed to Canadian orthodontists. It included a modified version of the Dentist Satisfaction Survey, an overall occupational stress score, and items addressing various characteristics of the respondents. Of 654 mailed surveys, 335 were returned, for a response rate of 51.2%. Most orthodontists (79.3%) were classified as satisfied according to the overall job satisfaction scale of the Dentist Satisfaction Survey; however, some (2.5%) were classified as dissatisfied. The facets of orthodontics with the highest degree of satisfaction were patient relations (93%), delivery of care (86%), respect (84%), professional relations (80%), and staff (76%). The most dissatisfaction was associated with personal time (26%) and practice management (15%). Stepwise multiple regression analysis resulted in a model including overall occupational stress, membership in the Canadian Association of Orthodontists, total number of staff, and age to account for 27.1% of the variation in the overall job satisfaction scale. Based on accountable sources of variance, the overall job satisfaction scale seems to be more affected by other variables than the characteristics evaluated by this survey.