Examining the Predictive Role of Emotional Intelligence on Job Satisfaction among Dentists

Abstract

Emotional intelligence has stood and proved to be a master determinant of job satisfaction, more pronouncedly among those who have work engagements associated with high demands such as in the case of dentistry. This study purports to produce evidence on the predictive significance of emotional intelligence on job satisfaction among dentists and how it translates into workplace satisfaction, interpersonal relationships, and professional performance of an individual practitioner. Dentistry is a practice that interacts with patients throughout the day, and at times, it experiences very high-pressure scenarios; therefore, emotional regulation and interpersonal competence are necessary for achieving job satisfaction. The literature demonstrates that some specific dimensions of emotional intelligence such as self-emotion appraisal, use of emotion, and emotional regulation hold positive correlation with job satisfaction, while burnout and workplace culture moderate this relationship. Evidence also abounds on the enhancement by emotionally intelligent training in attaining peace in the workplace, reducing stress, and maximally allowing an employee’s growth in his profession. This study emphasizes the need to ensure that emotional intelligence is integrated into practice in dental institutions for the well-being of every employee and the organization. This research assess the predictive role of emotional intelligence on job satisfaction among dentists by using the Minnesota satisfaction questionnaire and Wong and Law Emotional intelligence questionnaire. The findings thus far show a strong relation between emotional intelligence and job satisfaction in many of the healthcare professions today. Utilizing descriptive statistics, the Shapiro-Wilk Test, Spearman’s rank-order correlation, and simple linear regression, this study showed a moderate positive correlation between emotional intelligence and job satisfaction for dentists. Work setting and gender were not meaningfully related to job satisfaction, and this suggests workplace factors may be more important. These findings show the value of emotional intelligence in professional mental health and indicate possible areas for organizational change in dentistry.