THE EFFECTS OF CONTINUING POSTGRADUATE EDUCATION AND CAREER BREAKS ON SATISFACTION LEVELS AMONG DENTISTS IN BULGARIA

Continuing professional development (CPD) implies many distinct activities and plays a key role in updating dentists' skills, knowledge, and professionalism throughout their working lives. This study aimed to investigate if an association existed between dentists' intentions for postgraduate continuing education (CE) and the levels of their job satisfaction. It was a descriptive cross-sectional investigation using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire mailed to a random sample of 1427 dentists from 107 settlements in Bulgaria. The survey instrument consisted of 37 items and gathered data on respondents' levels of job satisfaction, demographic and workplace characteristics, economic factors, and attitudes toward CPD. Standard descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test were applied to analyze the data obtained. The significance level was set at p<0.05. A total of 436 dentists responded to the survey (response rate=30.5%). Dentists who had more opportunities and time for attending courses for CPD (n=288, 66.1%) demonstrated a higher level of professional satisfaction (p<0.05). Most respondents (n=388; 89%) declared a willingness for CE; however, no significant association was found between this factor and job satisfaction (p=0.05). About 20% reported having career breaks that varied from a few months to 5-6 years. Dentists without career breaks had higher levels of partial and full satisfaction than those who had such an interruption (p<0.05). Therefore, ensuring more opportunities and time for engagement in various forms of CE as well as limiting career breaks are highly suggested to improve professional development interests among dentists, and ultimately the levels of their job satisfaction.