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Madhan Balasubramanian
King's College London & University of Sydney
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2798-5850
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Introduction: Overseas-trained dentists comprise a significant proportion of the Australian dental workforce. The aim of the study was to examine characteristics and practice variations between Australian- and overseas-trained dentists, with an intent to identify key predictors that best differentiates Australian- and overseas-trained dentists’ practice of dentistry in Australia.
Methods: Data for the study were from the Longitudinal Study of Dentist Practice Activity (LSDPA), a survey of a nationally representative random sample of dentists in Australia commencing 1983-84 and followed every five years. Dentists were surveyed on a wide range of items including participant characteristics, practice patterns, practice inputs, direct demand and productivity measures. Data were weighted to national estimates by age, sex and practice type. Discriminant function analysis was used to examine the effects of predictor variables that best separated dentists to Australian- or overseas-trained.
Results: A total of 1148 dentists (response rate =67 %) responded to the survey in 2009-10; 648 complete cases were available for the discriminant analysis. The discriminant functions for the full sample, and each of the three age groups (<35 yrs; 35-50 yrs & 50+ yrs) were found effective to seperate dentists into two groups (Australian and overseas), with the proportion of cases correctly classified being highest for the oldest age group (89.7% for 50+yrs). Gender (being female), type of practice (working in public sector), and SEIFA (working at disadvantaged areas) were significant predictors, with more prominence in the 35-50 yrs age group. Practice inputs, demand and productivity measures offered less discriminative capacity between Australian- and overseas-trained dentists.
Conclusion: Overseas-trained dentists contribute towards providing dental care to underserved population, public sector and in rural and remote locations. This study provided some basis to argue that policies to encourage overseas-trained dentists to contribute towards areas of need locations in Australia have been successful. Key productivity measures of overseas trained dentists mimicked those of Australian-trained dentists.
Keywords
migrant health professionals, oral health workforce: discriminant analysis, workforce planning
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A new preprint design is coming!
We have improved readability, clarity, accessibility, and opportunities for engagement.
This is a preprint, a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Research
Madhan Balasubramanian
King's College London & University of Sydney
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2798-5850
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
History
CURRENT STATUS: Posted
View the published article at International Dental Journal.
No community comments so far
Version 1
Posted 02 Apr, 2020
No comments provided
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at International Dental Journal.
Introduction: Overseas-trained dentists comprise a significant proportion of the Australian dental workforce. The aim of the study was to examine characteristics and practice variations between Australian- and overseas-trained dentists, with an intent to identify key predictors that best differentiates Australian- and overseas-trained dentists’ practice of dentistry in Australia.
Methods: Data for the study were from the Longitudinal Study of Dentist Practice Activity (LSDPA), a survey of a nationally representative random sample of dentists in Australia commencing 1983-84 and followed every five years. Dentists were surveyed on a wide range of items including participant characteristics, practice patterns, practice inputs, direct demand and productivity measures. Data were weighted to national estimates by age, sex and practice type. Discriminant function analysis was used to examine the effects of predictor variables that best separated dentists to Australian- or overseas-trained.
Results: A total of 1148 dentists (response rate =67 %) responded to the survey in 2009-10; 648 complete cases were available for the discriminant analysis. The discriminant functions for the full sample, and each of the three age groups (<35 yrs; 35-50 yrs & 50+ yrs) were found effective to seperate dentists into two groups (Australian and overseas), with the proportion of cases correctly classified being highest for the oldest age group (89.7% for 50+yrs). Gender (being female), type of practice (working in public sector), and SEIFA (working at disadvantaged areas) were significant predictors, with more prominence in the 35-50 yrs age group. Practice inputs, demand and productivity measures offered less discriminative capacity between Australian- and overseas-trained dentists.
Conclusion: Overseas-trained dentists contribute towards providing dental care to underserved population, public sector and in rural and remote locations. This study provided some basis to argue that policies to encourage overseas-trained dentists to contribute towards areas of need locations in Australia have been successful. Key productivity measures of overseas trained dentists mimicked those of Australian-trained dentists.
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