Factors Affecting Well-Being of Oral Health Providers in Community Health Centers

This project will assess workplace satisfaction, burnout, and engagement among oral health providers (dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants) in community health centers and explore work-related factors contributing to their well-being. Building on previous research focusing on job satisfaction and burnout among oral health providers in private practice, this study will utilize data from HRSA’s Health Center Workforce Well-Being Survey conducted from Nov 2022 to Jan 2023. The dataset includes information from 2,863 oral health clinicians in safety-net settings, covering demographics (age, gender, ethnicity, race, language spoken at home, disability status, education level, marital status, children under 18 at home, caregiver status), health center characteristics (region, rurality, size, patient population), practice characteristics (tenure, full-time status, supervisor status), and workplace factors (work team, culture, social support, recognition, compensation and benefits, professional growth, workload, work-life balance). It also covers overall job satisfaction, burnout, engagement, and intention to stay. The study findings will inform future strategies and programs aimed at enhancing the well-being, recruitment, and retention of the oral health workforce. These efforts will ultimately improve access to and quality of care for health center patients.