Premium
Attendance at and self‐perceived need for continuing education among Mongolian dentists
Author(s) -
Tseveenjav Battsetseg,
Vehkalahti Miira M.,
Murtomaa Heikki
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
european journal of dental education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.583
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1600-0579
pISSN - 1396-5883
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0579.2003.00279.x
Subject(s) - attendance , dental education , continuing education , logistic regression , medical education , capital city , medicine , psychology , family medicine , dentistry , economic geography , economics , economic growth
In May 2000, a questionnaire‐based survey was targeted at all Mongolian dentists practising in the capital city of Mongolia in May 2000 with the aim of evaluating attendance at and the self‐perceived need for continuing education (CE) in relation to their background characteristics and to their attitude towards CE. The response rate was 98% ( n = 245), with 38% of the dentists reporting a CE learning opportunity in at least one of the clinical disciplines of dentistry during the 2 years prior to the survey. A need for CE in at least one of the disciplines was perceived by 58%. A dentist's field of practice and attitude towards CE were the significant factors for attendance, whereas length of working experience, field of practice, holding a postgraduate degree, and having attended CE courses were significant factors for perceiving a need for CE, when controlling for all other variables in the logistic regression analyses ( P < 0.05). There seems to be a need for an increased attendance at CE courses among the dentists and a need for preparing them to have a positive attitude towards CE. On the other hand, creating an organized CE system which produces courses for dental practitioners, based on their need, will be at present a challenge for the Mongolian dental profession.