Dentists’ Entrepreneurial Intention and Associated Factors in Public Hospitals in Southeastern China: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Due to the rising demand and fast growth opportunities, the private dental care sector in China tried to attracted experienced dentists from the public hospital system, which hence are faced with challenges of talents outflow and shortage.Methods：A dentist’s entrepreneurial intention (EI) was represented by his/her intention of leaving the public hospital system to be engaged in the private sector..Dentists from public hospitals in 9 major cities of 5 provinces in Southeastern China were surveyed in this study. Through a snowball sampling method, a total of 336 questionnaires were collected. The association between the dentists’ EI and their individual characteristics (basic demographic and professional characteristics, entrepreneurial behaviors) were analyzed using logistic regression analysis.Results: In the public hospitals in China studied, female dentists are consistently less likely to report entrepreneurial intention (EI) (OR=0.365, p=0.001). Dentists in the age group of 36 to 45 and those aged over 45 reported much stronger EI (OR=14.205, p=0.012; OR=8.45, p=0.066) than those in 20’s did. Compared with intern dentists, Attending Dentists (OR=7.812, p=0.016) and Associate/Chief Dentists (OR=9.857, p=0.021) were significantly more likely to report EI. Those with master level (OR=0.221, p=0.021) or Doctorate degrees (OR=0.118, p=0.005) are much less likely to report EI. Meanwhile, those in small hospitals ( with employee numbers < 50) reported much stronger EI than those in large hospitals (OR=2.398, p=0.044). Additionally, dentists’ entrepreneurial behaviors, risk aversion attitudes and their family background all have significant associations.Conclusions: The small public hospitals in China especially face a high risk of talented dentist outflow. As an offsetting strategy, these hospitals may consider more active recruiting policy for female dentists or those holding post-graduate degrees due to their good possibility of long term career path in the public hospital system.