Evaluation of Job satisfaction among faculty members of Shahid Beheshti Dental School: a cross sectional study in 2012

Understanding the problems and the level of job satisfaction of academic staffs are crucial for making decisions at each higher educational system. Despite many years of academic and educational experience in our country, there is still lack of sufficient information in this field. The aim of this study was to determine the amount of job satisfaction among faculty members of Shahid Beheshti dental school in 2012.

100 members of dental school faculty members took part in this descriptive study. Data was colectedby means of a questionnaire with standardized questions in 3 parts: dental school, educational status and social position of the dentist. The data was analyzed by descriptive statistical methods (averagefinding, standard deviation and frequency distribution) and analytical statistics (Pearson Correlation Coefficient and independent T-test with p-value0.05.

The mean and standard deviation of job satisfaction score of faculty members were 50.8+/-4.6 (out of a total 100). The score in different sections are: 17.8+/-2.54 of a total of 28 for dental school, 13.5+/-1.8 of a total of 20 for educational status and 9.4+/-2.06 of a total of 16 for socioeconomic status of dentists in country. In analysis of primary factors, it was found that educational status is the most important and social position of dentist is the least important factor in determining the job satisfaction among faculty members. 65 % of participants evaluated the social position of dentists in the country as “desirable” and 47.5 % of participants were not pleased with current method of educational system and socioecononics situation.

in this study, it was found that the most important factor in selection of dentistry as the major was individual interest. Althoughtotally the faculty members are partially satisfied with different aspects of their job, but in specific areas they express serious problems that need to be addressed in order to reform the educational system and social position of dentists in health system.