Effect of dental hygienist’s achievement motivation on intention to stay

Objectives: Previous research on turnover has been conducted from the organization’s perspective. However, for the long-term retention of dental hygienists, it is necessary to conduct research from an individual’s perspective. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of achievement motivation on the intention to stay of dental hygienists. Methods: This study conducted an online survey targeting dental hygienists working in dental healthcare institutions, using convenience sampling from September, 2023. The analysis included 152 participants with long-term work experience and 121 participants with shorter work experience. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify factors influencing retention intentions (PASW Statistics ver. 23.0, p<0.05). Results: Factors influencing intention to stay for long-term dental hygienists included the number of dental hygienists and achievement motivation (responsibility, challenge, task orientation), with a significant impact (adj. R2=0.317). For shorterterm dental hygienists, achievement motivation (challenge, task orientation) demonstrated a significant impact (adj. R2=0.164). Conclusions: It was observed that intrinsic factors, particularly achievement motivation, had a significant impact on intention to stay. Consequently, exploring strategies to satisfy intrinsic motivation, such as achievement motivation, is deemed necessary.