Perceptions of the dental profession: a comparative analysis through scale development

Abstract

Dentistry is a science-based profession that has a close interaction with people and society. However, despite this close interaction, perceptions of the dental profession by both patients and dental professionals have received little research attention. The purpose of this study was to compare the perceptions of dentists, dental students, and patients toward the dental profession through the development and testing of the Dental Profession Perceptions Scale (DPPS). The DPPS contains a total of 17 items measured on a 5-point Likert response scale. The DPPS showed excellent internal reliability (Cronbach's =0.92) and test-retest reliability (r=0.93). Explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses of the DPPS showed that dentists', dental students', and patients' perceptions of the dental profession could be grouped according to status', human', and scientific' factors. There were no statistically significant differences between participants' DPPS total or sub-scale scores according to dental group, gender, or income. The DPPS developed can be used in future studies as a psychometrically sound measuring tool. Further studies should examine the factors that may affect the perceptions of the dental profession in different societies and cultures.