| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2014 | Volume
: 12
| Issue : 3 | Page : 194-198 |
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Dentistry as a career: Motives and perception of dental students attending Dental Colleges in Bengaluru city, Karnataka, India
M Rashmi1, Karim Virjee2, T Satish Yadava3, N Vijayakumar4, M Shoba4
1 Department of Public Health Dentistry, KGF College of Dental Sciences, Kolar, Karnataka, India
2 Department of Public Health Dentistry, The Oxford Dental College and Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
3 Department of Oral Pathology, GDCRI, Dr. Shymala Reddy Dental College and Research Institute, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
4 Department of Public Health Dentistry, Dr. Shymala Reddy Dental College and Research Institute, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Correspondence Address:
M Rashmi
KGF College of Denatal Sciences, Kolar, Karnataka
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/2319-5932.144796
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Introduction: The present study reflects a profile of dental students and their attitudes toward dentistry. Aim: The aim was to determine the motives and perceptions of undergraduate and postgraduate dental students attending Dental Colleges in Bangalore city. Subjects and Methods: All the Dental Colleges in the Bangalore city were included in this study. The students were asked to complete a questionnaire consisting 25 questions. The influence of certain factors was scored on a scale from 1 to 9. Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney test. Results: Two hundred and thirty-three (38.83%) students had dentistry as a first choice. In the present study, "caring profession" (94.33%) and private practice (25.6%) were the motives for choosing dentistry. Factor analysis was performed for Q9-23; the 15 questions were grouped under five factors: Influence, profession, flexibility, remuneration, and versatility. The level of agreement scores decreased from 1 st year B.D.S students to post graduate students. Conclusions: For selecting dentistry as a career job security, caring profession, flexibility, self-employment and prestigious profession were found to be important motivating and perception factors. Majority of students indicated that dentistry was not their first choice of career. Hence, it may be a good idea to establish educational programs in colleges to educate students on their career choices. |
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