Lead Public Health Service Dentists in Finland: Leaders or Dentists?

Aim: To survey the leadership roles of the Finnish Public Dental Service (PDS) lead dentists in a changing oral health care environment. Methods: Data were collected using an Internet questionnaire from lead PDS dentists (total N=265) on the following: how dentists became leaders in the PDS, what motivated them, their leadership styles and work wellbeing, whether they were primarily �leaders� or �dentists�, and their perceptions of their decision-making power in the municipal health care organisation. Factor analysis, chi-square and non-parametric tests were used to analyse the data gathered. Results: The response rate was 73%. Only 32% of the respondents had applied for a leading position in the PDS. The remainder had been asked or were �forced� to take it. A third (35%) were formally qualified for the post (i.e., had specialist education in dental public health). Most lead dentists (90%) had to treat patients in addition to working as leaders. Most lead dentists (66%) had good leadership motivation and appreciated the mental reward of being a lead dentist. As regards leadership styles, 88% felt that they were good people-oriented leaders and 61% good goal-oriented managers. Slightly more than half of the lead dentists (59%) could be identified primarily as leaders and 41% primarily as dentists. Lead dentists considered that, in general, their power in municipal decision-making was weak. Conclusions: Being a lead dentist in the PDS was not a highly desired part-time job in comparison with clinical work. Lead dentists had many of the same problems that studies on lead doctors� roles have shown.