Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Master of Technology: Dental Technology, Durban University of Technology, 2010. / This study investigates the perceptions of dentists, dental technicians and dental
patients with regard to the professionalization of dental technology as it is currently
constituted in South Africa. The origin of dental technology worldwide lies in a trade
and has historically been performed by craftsmen under the instruction of dentists.
In South Africa during the early 1900s dental technology was practised in much the
same way but the need for formalization of this field had been recognised. By 1945
dental technology was regulated by the Dental Mechanicians Board, which enabled
only registered technicians to practise dental technology within South Africa. This
field continues to be practised similarly at present. In order to establish the
professional development of dental technology it is necessary to consider this field
within a framework of desired professional attributes. This framework is provided by
Greenwood (1957), who defines a profession by the following five attributes:
systematic theory, professional authority, community sanction, ethical codes and a
professional culture. Owing to the varied implementation and regulation of dental
technology worldwide, little research into the professionalization of this field has
been conducted to date.
For the purpose of this study, dentists, dental technicians and dental patients in
KwaZulu-Natal were interviewed in semi-structured interviews. The main themes
emerging from this study were identified and considered with reference to the
framework within which this study has been positioned.
This study concludes that dental technology, as it is currently constituted in South
Africa is perceived to be a profession by dentists, dental technicians and dental
patients. .The term profession, however, is poorly understood by all three sample
groups. Despite being considered a profession, dental technology is not considered
to encompass all the attributes of a profession. Dental technology is therefore
identified as a developing profession that positions this field somewhere along the
professionalization continuum between a profession and a business. / Post Graduate Dept., Durban University of Technology.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:dut/oai:localhost:10321/598 |
| Date | January 2010 |
| Creators | Skea, Denise Angela |
| Contributors | Bass, Gregory Hylton, Young, Karin |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 179 p |
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