Department of Paediatric Dentistry and Dental Public Health, Kulliyyah of Dentistry, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia.
Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Dental Public Health, London, UK.
Int Dent J. 2020 Oct;70(5):360-373. doi: 10.1111/idj.12575. Epub 2020 May 31.
The dental workforce is facing unprecedented change globally as a result of multiple influences. There is a need for research informed action to map possible drivers for change at the national level and examine their potential implications in order to shape the dental workforce to serve population needs. The objective of this study was to explore key stakeholders' views on the drivers for change for the Malaysian dental workforce and their potential implications.
Stakeholders from key dental organisations/professions in Malaysia were purposively sampled and invited to participate in a semi-structured interview (n = 20) using a pre-tested topic guide. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using Framework Analysis.
Drivers for workforce were identified across four main domains: policy-politics; trends in demography; social and economic; and, technology-scientific development. The pace of change and possible interplay between drivers, most notably government policy, liberalisation of education and health services and challenges of workforce governance, followed by Malaysian demography and health trends. Implications for the future, including possible uncertainties, particularly in relation to specialisation and privatisation were identified, together in balancing and meeting public health needs/demands with professional career expectations.
Stakeholders' views on the high-level drivers for change broadly mirror those of high-income countries; however, specific challenges for Malaysia relate to rapid expansion of dental education and a young workforce with significant career aspirations, together with imbalances in the health care system. The impact of these drivers was perceived as leading to greatest uncertainty around specialisation and privatisation of the future workforce.
由于多种因素的影响，全球牙科劳动力正面临前所未有的变革。需要根据研究采取行动，在国家层面上绘制变革的可能驱动因素，并研究其潜在影响，从而调整牙科劳动力以满足人口需求。本研究的目的是探讨关键利益相关者对马来西亚牙科劳动力变革驱动因素及其潜在影响的看法。
从马来西亚主要牙科组织/专业的利益相关者中进行有针对性的抽样，并邀请他们参加半结构式访谈（n=20），使用预先测试的主题指南。对访谈进行录音、逐字转录，并使用框架分析进行分析。
在四个主要领域确定了劳动力的驱动因素：政策-政治；人口趋势；社会和经济；以及技术-科学发展。变革的步伐以及驱动因素之间的可能相互作用，特别是政府政策、教育和卫生服务的自由化以及劳动力治理的挑战，其次是马来西亚人口和健康趋势，被认为是未来的影响因素，包括可能的不确定性，特别是在专业化和私有化方面，同时平衡和满足公共卫生需求/需求与专业职业期望。
利益相关者对变革的高层次驱动因素的看法与高收入国家的看法大致相同；然而，马来西亚特有的挑战与牙科教育的快速扩张以及年轻劳动力具有显著的职业抱负有关，以及医疗保健系统的不平衡。这些驱动因素的影响被认为导致未来劳动力专业化和私有化的最大不确定性。
