The quality of life of the dentist as perceived by society.

Research dealing with the public's perception of the quality of life of the dentist is not well developed. Generally, the approach of researchers to this topic has been to examine the public's image of the dental profession. Specifically, the degree of prestige attributed to the dental profession by the public has attracted major attention. A review of studies reveals that while the profession enjoys relatively high prestige, it is extrinsic factors rather than the intrinsic value of the service that determine the public's image. The dental health care system and dental education as presently structured do not appear to be serving the bast interest of the public. The paper concludes with a discussion of what are considered to be major issues that the dental profession both in Canada and elsewhere will have to deal with in the coming years, in order to bring about change both in its image and the generally low utilization of the services it provides.