Analysing the Social Responsibility among Dentists of Ethiopia: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: Dentistry is essentially a business at present. The present study aimed to analyze the meaning and implications of social responsibility among the dentists of Ethiopia. It further evaluated whether the dental professionals of Ethiopia consider themselves as responsible for equitable distribution of dental care. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 dentists practicing in Addis Ababa and Jimma city of Ethiopia in the academic year 2017-18. Simple random sampling technique was used to collect the required sample. The results were recorded by filling the predesigned self-administered questionnaire by the dentists. The descriptive statistics and cross-tabulation were used for data analysis using the software SPSS version 20. Results: Among 200 dentists, 168 dentists (which make up 84% of the sample of 200 dentists) considered finance as a major barrier to accessing dental health care in Ethiopia. Further, 168 (84% of the sample) said that the meaning of social responsibility in the dental profession was providing better access to dental care to those who are underserved. All of the participants (100%) who lived in Addis Ababa and 92% of participants of Jimma thought that social responsibility should be taught as a part of public health dentistry. Conclusion: Dentists were aware of their responsibilities in terms of providing better access to dental care to those who are underserved, but most of them considered finance as the major barrier. So, they looked at dentistry primarily as a business. This shows not only dentists working in the dental profession are socially liable for guaranteeing fair admittance to dental care, but the society and government are also responsible for its proper implementation.