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Abstract BackgroundWorkforce retention is a critical and urgent problem in healthcare, significantly affecting service delivery, patient care, and organisational efficiency. In dentistry, the stability of the workforce is not just important; it is essential for maintaining access to and the quality of oral health services. Despite its urgency and importance, a comprehensive synthesis of the factors influencing retention in the dental sector is lacking. This systematic review seeks to fill this gap by evaluating the current literature and identifying critical determinants of dental workforce retention.Aim:The primary objective of this systematic review is to identify and analyse the factors that influence workforce retention globally, specifically in healthcare and dentistry. The review aims to inform effective retention strategies and policymakers in dental public health.Methods: This review will employ a systematic methodology to search, select, and synthesise relevant literature. Multiple databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase (Ovid), Medline (Ovid), and PsycINFO (Ovid) were searched using a combination of keywords related to "dentistry," "workforce retention," and "employment factors." The selection process involved rigorous screening of titles, abstracts, and full texts, adhering to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria focusing primarily on observational studies, cross-sectional surveys, and qualitative research. Data extraction was standardized, and quality was assessed using established bias assessment tools. The synthesis was either thematic or meta-synthetic depending on the homogeneity of the data collected. The review is expected to identify a range of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, further classified as macro, meso, and micro factors, that significantly impact retention among dental health professionals. These may include but are not limited to job satisfaction, compensation, work environment, professional development opportunities, and organisational support. The findings will provide a basis for recommendations on how health policymakers and administrators in dental care institutions can improve workforce retention strategies and workforce stability, paramount for effective public health responses and sustainable healthcare delivery in dentistry.
Tenzin Dorji (Mon,) studied this question.