Private Dental Practitioners’ Perceptions of Business Skills in Dental Practice: A Cross-sectional Study on the Need for Business Education in Undergraduate Dental Curriculum

Background: Dental practitioners are not only clinicians but also business owners, responsible for managing finances, human resources and operations in addition to clinical duties. However, most undergraduate dental programmes emphasize biological and clinical sciences, with minimal focus on practice management. Objective: This study aimed to assess the Malaysian private dental practitioners’ perceptions regarding essential business competencies for effective practice management and to evaluate their views on integrating business education into the undergraduate dental curriculum. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 50 private practitioners across Peninsular Malaysia. The survey assessed perceptions of budgeting, record keeping, retirement planning and financial management. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square goodness-of-fit tests ( P < 0.05) to determine significance against equal expected proportions. Results: A majority (80%) of the respondents reported no formal exposure to business training during undergraduate studies. Ninety-two percent emphasized the importance of annual budgeting ( χ 2 = 21.42, P < 0.05), whereas 96% stressed systematic financial record keeping ( χ 2 = 26.84, P < 0.05). Financial challenges were common, with 74% reporting difficulties during practice start-up and 72% experiencing ongoing financial setbacks due to inadequate business knowledge. Additionally, 74% supported standardized treatment fees and retirement planning as essential components of practice management. Conclusion: These findings highlight a clear gap in business preparedness among dental practitioners. Structured integration of business and management modules within the undergraduate curriculum is strongly recommended to promote financial stability, professional confidence and long-term sustainability in private dental practice.