Research Article
Motivations for a Career in Dentistry among Dental Students and Dental Interns in Kenya
| Motivation factor | Response in percentage | Grouped factor | Individual factors | Agree | Neutral | Disagree |
| Personal/humanitarian | Personal interest | 76.1 | 17.7 | 6.2 | Desire to serve/help people | 74 | 18.5 | 7.6 | Flexible work pattern | 63 | 16.8 | 20.2 | Desire for self-employment | 61.8 | 25.8 | 12.4 |
| Financial/societal | Desire for financial security | 57.4 | 25.6 | 17.1 | Pride in title “doctor” | 54 | 24.6 | 21.5 | Prestige/social status as dentist | 40.7 | 34.6 | 24.7 |
| Influence by others | Career talk/information | 41.3 | 20.5 | 38.2 | Prior experience of treatment | 37 | 15.8 | 47.3 | Prior exposure to dentistry | 31.7 | 26.2 | 42.1 | Siblings’/friends’ persuasion | 30.3 | 17.1 | 52.6 | Family doctor | 26 | 16.4 | 57.5 | Parents’ persuasion | 22 | 19.6 | 58.5 |
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