Factors affecting dental surgery assistants' job satisfaction in general dental practice.

Reported studies suggested that job satisfaction, was low among non-operating dental auxiliaries. Clearly this might affect the quality of their work. The study reported in the present article evaluated dental surgery assistant (DSA) job satisfaction in general dental practices in the northwestern region of England. An initial qualitative study determined the factors that DSAs thought affected their job satisfaction and these were evaluated in a quantitative study. Although the majority of DSAs found their work satisfying and enjoyable, a number found some aspects unsatisfactory and changes are proposed which may improve the quality of their working lives.