Motivations for choosing dentistry as a career among dental students in Tanzania

Educators are interested in understanding motivations for choosing a career in the dental field, especially in the current era when there are several career paths to choose from. This study aimed to investigate the motivating factors given by dental students for selecting dentistry as a career in Tanzania. A questionnaire was sent to 256 dental students to capture their sociodemographic characteristics and possible motives for choosing dentistry as a career. The motive/reasons were then grouped into four domains. ANOVA test was done to establish an association between sociodemographic characteristics and reasons for choosing dentistry and the P-value was set at <0.05. Out of 256 registered students, 239 returned the filled questionnaires. Opportunities to work anywhere in the world, job and financial security, the opportunity to work with hands, and getting enough time for the family were the commonly agreed motives for choosing dentistry. The age, sex, and upbringing environment of the students had no significant association with the mean score of various domains of motives for choosing dentistry (P >0.05). The odds of selecting dentistry due to professional motives were 2 times higher among those who were in-service (OR = 0.444, 95% CI 0.267, 0.739) and were 3 times higher in those who were in clinical years (OR = 0.292, 95% CI 0.128, 0.666). The odds of selecting dentistry due to vocational motives among those who were in-service were 3 times higher (OR = 0.347, 95% CI 0.153, 0.786). The main motives for choosing dentistry as a carrier included the opportunity to work anywhere in the world, job and financial security, and getting enough time for the family.