Barriers in Sustainability of Dental Students Choosing Academic Career Path: Comparison between the United States and Japan

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate barriers experienced by dental students when choosing professional careers. An anonymous online survey with eight questions extracted from the annual American Dental Education Association Survey for U.S. dental school seniors (UDS) and two Japan-specific questions was given to Japanese dental school seniors (JDS) in 2019, 2020, and 2021. The results were compared to UDS data. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Harvard Medical School and included 1053 respondents. The parental education and income levels of JDS were higher than UDS, and educational debt of JDS was lower than UDS. The top reason for choosing dentistry for JDS was influence and expectation from family members, while the top reason for UDS was service to others. Although both groups showed interest in teaching in academia, the majority chose to enter private practice immediately post-graduation, and would consider teaching during their mid or late career. Barriers for dental students staying in academia varied between the two countries. For JDS, the main barrier was an anxiety around stable income. For UDS, it was their educational debt. Dental educators and policymakers need to consider these barriers to improve the sustainability of dental students choosing an academic career path.