The Impact of Health Work Management and Dentist Profiles on Dental Teams' Performance

Abstract

Background:
Primary health care (PHC) is vital to healthcare systems, offering accessible and integrated services. The National Oral Health Policy (NOHP) emphasizes the importance of skilled dental teams and the provision of adequate resources for effective service delivery. However, factors such as the profile of dentists and health work management influence the performance of dental teams. This study investigates how these factors impact dental team performance in the public healthcare system, focusing on regional differences.
Methods:
A total of 18,114 dental teams were evaluated on access to and the quality of dental care. The dependent variable was "dental team performance," measured using psychometric analysis, and independent variables included dentists' profiles and health work management factors. Univariate and multiple linear regression models were employed for data analysis.
Results:
Regional variations were observed in both dentists' profiles and health work management factors. Significant factors associated with improved dental team performance included graduate studies, continuing professional development training, mentoring, public sector employment, and career plans linked to service time and financial rewards. Work management-related variables, such as monitoring healthcare indicators and flexible scheduling, also positively influenced performance. These variables explained approximately 22% of the variation in dental team performance, with regional differences in the factors that influenced performance.
Conclusion:
Dentists' profiles and health work management significantly impact dental team performance. Regions with more access to professional development and favorable work conditions reported better outcomes. The findings highlight the importance of continuous professional development and improved employment conditions for enhancing the performance of dental teams in PHC settings.