López CV, Severino MM, Núñez MJM

Language: Spanish
References: 5
Page: 123-126
PDF size: 137.30 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the type of private dental practice at which dentists work in the areas surrounding the dental clinics of the Metropolitan Autonomous University, Xochimilco campus (UAMX), to see whether the type of work setting of dentists who graduated from UAM-X differed from that of dentists who graduated from other universities in the same area.
Study Design: One hundred and fifty dentists were interviewed and asked to complete a questionnaire on the various aspects of their professional environment. Their academic background was considered, as was their participation in government services, at universities or at private practices; the type of business partnership with which they were associated, their opinions on their labor market and quality of life; the type of patients they treat and the number of hours a week they work as dentists.
Results. A total of 98% of the dentists questioned graduated from public universities and 39.3% had undertaken postgraduate studies. Only 88% work exclusively at private practices, whilst the remaining 12% also participate in state services and/or at a university. Of the total, 34.7% work in partnership with other dentists. More than half of those surveyed said that both their labor market and quality of life were stable. Most of their patients come from a medium to low socioeconomic level. Over 47% of the dentists worked between 30 and 49 hours a week.
Conclusions: The study revealed that where a dentist trained did not significantly influence the kind of professional context in which they worked.
This suggests a possible need for future research into whether the care provided to patients depends more on the services they can afford than on their real needs, irrespective of the school from which the dentist treating them graduated.

REFERENCES

1. Maupomé G. Preparación de los dentistas de mañana, de acuerdo con las necesidades de hoy. Salud Pública de México 2000;42(3):178-80.

2. Triana Estrada J. La ética: un problema para el odontólogo; Acta Bioethica 2006;12(1):75-80.

3. Ortega-Maldonado M, Mota-Sanhua V, López-Vivanco JC. Estado de Salud Bucal en Adolescentes de la Ciudad de México. Rev Salud Pública 2007;9(3):380-7

4. INEGI. Encuesta Nacional de Empleo 2000 y 2004, México.

5. González Robledo MC, González Robledo LM. Situación laboral de los odontólogos en México. Boletín Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública. 2007;3:2-6