Career aspirations of dental students: insights from a multinational study using social cognitive career theory (SCCT)
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00159816%3A_____%2F25%3A00082282" target="_blank" >RIV/00159816:_____/25:00082282 - isvavai.cz</a>
Alternative codes found
RIV/00216224:14110/25:00140995
Result on the web
<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oral-health/articles/10.3389/froh.2025.1577870/full" target="_blank" >https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oral-health/articles/10.3389/froh.2025.1577870/full</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/froh.2025.1577870" target="_blank" >10.3389/froh.2025.1577870</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Career aspirations of dental students: insights from a multinational study using social cognitive career theory (SCCT)
Original language description
Background Dental students' career choices are shaped by many factors, including their personal abilities and goals, environmental factors and the resources available to them. Understanding the drivers for this career pathway decision is crucial for educational institutions' development of comprehensive curricula. This study applies Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) to investigate the professional aspirations of dental students globally, providing insights into the factors that influence career choices of dental students from different regions to understand how personal, socioeconomic and cultural differences influence their decisions.Methods A cross-sectional, multicentred survey was conducted between May and July 2023, involving 1964 dental students from over 20 countries. Self-administered questionnaires based on SCCT were used to assess participants' self-efficacy, professional and personal outcome expectations, career goals, and career path preferences. Statistical analysis, including multivariable logistic regression and mediation analysis, was employed to identify the relationships between the SCCT framework, sociodemographic factors and career aspirations.Results The study revealed that 51.2% of participants preferred a specialty in clinical dentistry, while 28.1% aimed for general dentistry. Mediation analysis demonstrated notable pathways from career planning training to career aspirations through self-efficacy, professional and personal expectations. Self-efficacy mediated 26.7%-98.65% of the effect on career preferences coming forward as a key mediator. Demographic statistics demonstrated that regional and economic differences significantly impacted students' career choice, where students from higher-income countries reported more likely to choose general dentistry and those from lower-income countries were more drawn to specialty fields or public health.Conclusions This study offers new insights into the global career aspirations of dental students through the prism of the SCCT. These findings highlight the need for dental schools and associations to offer tailored career planning training based on students' backgrounds at an early phase of their education. Providing support and career guidance, especially in underserved regions, can help students make informed decisions that align with their personal and professional goals. This will ultimately contribute to a more diverse and well-prepared global dental workforce.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
50401 - Sociology
Result continuities
Project
<a href="/en/project/LX22NPO5101" target="_blank" >LX22NPO5101: The National Institute for Research on the Socioeconomic Impact of Diseases and Systemic Risks</a><br>
Continuities
I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace
Others
Publication year
2025
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
Frontiers in Oral Health
ISSN
2673-4842
e-ISSN
2673-4842
Volume of the periodical
6
Issue of the periodical within the volume
Apr 2025
Country of publishing house
CH - SWITZERLAND
Number of pages
23
Pages from-to
1577870
UT code for WoS article
001474130000001
EID of the result in the Scopus database
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