Motivational factors for choosing dentistry as a career: A survey of undergraduate dental students in Ireland

Dentistry is a highly sought after university course but the motivations for students choosing dentistry as a career in Ireland are not well understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the reasons why students choose dentistry as a professional career in Ireland. All undergraduate dental students (n=225) in an Irish university in the academic year 2016/17 were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey. Participants were asked to rate a list of 12 factors that influenced their decision to pursue dentistry as a career. The response rate was 85.3% (n=192). The majority of the participants were female (65%), aged between 18 and 23 years (69%) and from the European Union (60%). Over half (55%) entered the programme directly from secondary-level education. The motivational factor with the highest median rating of importance was altruism. Motivational factors influencing dental students included altruism, financial security, and independence. Having a previous family connection with the dental profession did not feature strongly. Positive previous experiences of dentistry and dental professionals emerged as a new motivational factor. Nationality, mode of entry and year of study influenced the motivational factors of the students surveyed.