419 - Burnout and Fulfillment Amongst California Pediatric Dentists and Dental Residents

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of professional fulfillment and its relation to occupational burnout in California pediatric dentists and dental residents.

Methods: A survey was sent to approximately 650 pediatric dentists and dental residents who are members of the California Society of Pediatric Dentistry. The survey utilized the Professional Fulfillment Scale and the Overall Burnout Scale from Physician Wellness Research.

Results: Of the 132 returned surveys, 10.6% of responses were from dental residents, 87.9% are
currently practicing pediatric dentists, and 1.5% are retired. Private practice is the predominant
primary practice setting (84.1%), with majority of pediatric dentists working more than 30
hours per week (78%). Fifty two percent of respondents were found to have positive
professional fulfillment. Based on bivariate analysis, overall negative professional fulfillment is
significantly associated with overall burnout (p=0.005). Participants with positive professional
fulfillment are less likely to have burnout after adjusting for work hours per week and practice
years (OR=0.02, 95% CI=0.001 – 0.33, p=0.006).

Conclusions: Pediatric dentists and dental residents in California who have positive professional
fulfillment are shown to be less likely to experience occupational burnout compared to those
who had negative professional fulfillment.