Job satisfaction and empathy levels among dentists: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

In dentistry, job satisfaction and empathy are both important components of professional well-being. Job satisfaction is relevant to career continuity and occupational well-being, whereas empathy is essential for effective dentist–patient communication. This study aimed to evaluate job satisfaction and empathy among dentists in Türkiye and to examine their associations with selected sociodemographic and professional characteristics. This cross-sectional survey was conducted among 598 dentists practicing in Türkiye across public and private healthcare sectors. Data were collected through an online questionnaire consisting of a sociodemographic form, the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), and the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy–Health Professions Version (JSPE-HP). Group differences were evaluated using Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests, and the empathy–job satisfaction association was assessed using Spearman’s rho. The participants demonstrated measurable levels of both job satisfaction and empathy based on MSQ and JSPE-HP scores. Empathy scores did not differ significantly by gender (p=0.653), while job satisfaction scores were significantly higher among male dentists (p<0.001). Higher MSQ and JSPE-HP scores were observed among specialists and dentists working in the public sector. Although higher scores were also observed in participants with longer professional experience, this finding should be interpreted cautiously due to the limited number of participants in the higher-experience groups (all p<0.001). Empathy and job satisfaction covaried in a positive direction, with a statistically significant but weak correlation (ρ= 0.274, p<0.001). Because the sample consisted largely of early-career dentists, the findings may be especially relevant to this subgroup. In this sample, job satisfaction and empathy were associated with workplace setting, specialization status, and years of professional experience. The observed gender difference in job satisfaction should be explored further, particularly in qualitative or mixed-methods studies. Institutional and educational efforts aimed at improving working conditions and communication skills may help support dentists’ professional well-being, especially in the early stages of practice. Future studies involving more balanced and representative samples are needed to better understand the factors associated with job satisfaction and empathy among dentists.