Migration Motives of International Dental Graduates to the United Kingdom

Objectives: International migration of dental graduates has increased in the past decade, however, not widely reported. Despite the contribution of dental graduates to destination countries and adverse effect on donor countries, no qualitative research has been published on their migration motives. The objective of this study was to undertake an in-depth exploration of the drivers that motivate dental graduates to migrate.

Methods: A purposive stratified sample of 38 international dental graduates (IDGs) in the UK, were recruited via key gatekeeper organisations and training programmes. The semi-structured interviews explored the lived experiences of the IDGs and were conducted face to face and by phone based on participant’s convenience. The recorded and transcribed (verbatim) data was organised through NVivo and thematic content analysis carried out using frameworks derived through literature review. A phenomenological approach with an epistemological stance of interpretivism, incorporating researcher’s reflexivity guided data analysis and develop theory.

Results: The IDGs working across the four nations of UK, had graduated from 25 countries (9-EEA and 16-other). 20 were females, 18 males with average age of 40 years (24-64) and working in the UK for an average of 7 years (2 months-22yrs). IDGs reported a complex interplay of national and international (macro), professional (meso) and personal (micro) drivers influencing their migration. Macro drivers included an enduring reliance on an expatriate workforce, active NHS recruitment and the effect of globalisation. Meso drivers included post-graduate education and training opportunities, financial gain, knowledge of English language, professional networks and access to undergraduate dental education abroad. Micro drivers included family networks, desire for a better lifestyle, marriage and adventure. Seven broad typologies of migrant dentists were identified, linking the drivers.

Conclusions: IDGs’ motivation for migration to the UK as an established destination country are multidimensional. Our findings suggest that there are definitive typologies which provide insight to their motivations.