Abstract
This study purposed to analyze dental hygienists' job satisfaction according to their clinical career as an effort to enhance their job satisfaction and quality and to provide basic materials for dental hygienists' effective job performance. For this purpose, we surveyed 120 dental hygienists working at dental hospitals and clinics in Busan during the period from the $1^{st}$ February to $31^{st}$ March 2009 by using a self administered questionnaire. Job satisfaction was measured using a 5 point Likert scale ranging from 'Absolutely yes' (5 points) to 'Yes' (4), 'So so' (3), 'No' (2), and 'Not at all' (1), and a high score indicates high degree of satisfaction. When it testd the reliability of the job satisfaction scale was tested, Cronbach's Alpha (${\alpha}$) was 0.85 which indicates the instrument is sufficiently reliable. Data collected were analyzed with SPSS. We performed frequency analysis in order to examine the subjects' demographical characteristics, and Chi square and one way ANOVA to examine their perception of their job, job satisfaction, and their aptitude and status as a dental hygienists' according to clinical career. The results of this study were as follows. 1. The longer clinical career the dental hygienists had, the more they thought that they had aptitude as a dental hygienist (p<0.05). 2. The dental hygienists' turnover intention was different according to clinical career (p<0.01). 3. The longer clinical career the dental hygienists had, the more satisfied they were when they were working at a dental hospital or clinic equipped with convenience facilities (change room, lounge, etc.) (p<0.01). 4. The longer clinical career the dental hygienists had, the more power to make decisions they had and the more acknowledgement and trust they received from dentists (p<0.01). 5. Satisfaction with duty coordination was low in general, but it grew higher with increase in clinical career (p<0.01). 6. The longer clinical career the dental hygienists had, the more satisfied they were with patients' appreciation of their treatment (p<0.01). In addition, their time and opportunities to discuss with dentists were different according to clinical career, and their satisfaction with the items was higher when their clinical career was long (p<0.01). 7. As to their perception of dental hygienists' potential for development, they generally believed that they had potential for future growth with the expansion of their work scope (M=3.73). The longer clinical career the dental hygienists had, the more satisfied the more power to make decisions they had and the more acknowledgement and trust they received from dentists and their time and opportunities to discuss with dentists when they were working at a dental hospital or clinic equipped with convenience facilities (change room, lounge, etc.). The longer clinical career the dental hygienists had, the more they thought that they had aptitude as a dental hygienist. In conclusion, the longer clinical dental hygienists' Career had, satisfaction was able to take a highness to a dental hygienist occupation.