II.

Methods

Design

This study used an ethnographic research approach to further investigate

the struggles, patient safety, and work management faced by dentists in General

Santos City. Defined by the profound author Caulfield (2020), ethnography is a

versatile study method that enables you to develop a profound understanding of

a group's common culture, convention, and social dynamics. Ethnography

provides direct access to the culture and practices of a specific group or society.

This research approach aims to explore the difficulties and obstacles that these

professionals experience in their field of work, further describing the practices

among dentists in General Santos City.

Selection of Participants

In this study, it utilizes the purposive criterion sampling to determine the

qualification of the participants. The criteria include the following:

1. Dentists that attained degree and passed the dentist license board

exam. According to Smith et al. (2018), dentists who have attained a degree and

passed the dentist license board exam have undergone extensive education and

training specifically in the field of dentistry. Their educational background

indicates that they have acquired specialized knowledge in dental science, oral

health, and various dental procedures. This expertise allows them to contribute

valuable insights and perspectives to dental research, ensuring that the study

addresses relevant clinical questions and outcomes.

 2. Willingness to participate. According to Bhandari (2021), voluntary

participation is an ethical principle protected by international law and many

scientific codes of conduct. Take special care to ensure there’s no pressure on

participants when you’re working with vulnerable groups of people who may find

it hard to stop the study even when they want to.

3. Dentists with at least three years of experience. According to Quigley et

al. (2019), considering the dentist's years of experience in the field provides

insights into their level of expertise and familiarity with various dental procedures

and techniques. Experience can enhance their clinical judgment, problem-solving

skills, and proficiency in delivering dental care. Dentists with more experience

may bring valuable insights and a broader understanding of the field to the

research study. Knowledge and expertise were seen as vital for professionalism,

but this was underpinned by other factors such as trustworthiness.

Criteria/Qualifications

In this study, the following variables are included in the selection criteria

for the philosophical “syringe” of dentists in General Santos City. The participants

should be dentists that attained degree and passed the dentist license board

exam in order to be qualified for the interview. Participants should be willing to do

the interview in order to ensure that there’s no pressure during the interrogation.

Participants should be dentists with at least three years of experience because

dentists with more experience may bring valuable insights and a broader

understanding of the field to the research study.

Sampling Techniques

The participant selection strategy for choosing research participants is

purposive sampling. Purposive sampling refers to a group of non-probability

sampling techniques in which units are selected because they have

characteristics that you need in your sample. In other words, units are selected

“on purpose” in purposive sampling (Nikolopuolou, 2022).

Locale of the Study

The location will focus on the licensed field dentists in General Santos

City, Philippines. In view of the fact that the city has a large population, a

considerable number of dentists reside in this area.

Selection Process

10 individuals will be chosen through purposive sampling to respond to the

questionnaire for the researcher. There are no hard-fast rules for how many

people should participate in a study, although some researchers think that,

depending on your research topic and approach, between 10 to 50 people are

adequate (Cresswell and Cresswell, 2018). Each participant will be questioned

in private for at least 15-30 minutes to ensure privacy and confidentiality.

Permission to audio-record the interviews will also be obtained as part of the

ethical protocol.

Interview Technique

The chosen participants will be interviewed using a semi- structured

interview technique. According to George (2022), semi-structured interviews are

a blend of structured and unstructured types of interviews. Semi-structured

interviews are often open-ended, allowing for flexibility. Asking set questions in a

set order allows for easy comparison between respondents, but it can be limiting.

Having less structure can help researchers see patterns, while still allowing for

comparisons between respondents. This approach usually involves a dialogue

between the researcher and the participant, which is guided by an adjustable

interview procedure and supported by follow-up questions, probes, and

comments. The technique allows the researcher to collect open-ended data,

delve deeply into personal and frequently sensitive themes, and study participant

thoughts, feelings, and views about a certain issue. As a result, semi-structured

interviews will be performed to collect data in this study.

The questions aim to explore their beliefs, values, and ethical

considerations related to the administration of their struggles, work management

and safety protocols during dental procedures. Probing questions are used to

encourage dentists to elaborate on their responses and provide in-depth insights.

Three open-ended questions will be asked.

Probing Questions:

1. How do you practice facing challenges as a dentist?

2. How do you practice overcoming the challenges you have encountered?

3. How do you practice ensuring the safety of your patients?

Data Collection

In order to collect data, the following actions have been taken:

1. The researchers wrote an authorization letter to be signed by the principal,

in order to conduct the philosophical research.

 2. The authorization letter that was written by the researchers was then given

to the principal and it was later approved.

3. The researchers formulated philosophical questions to be asked to the

selected participants.

4. Using the formulated philosophical questions, the researchers sought for

dentists in General Santos City who will meet the specific qualifications.

5. During the interview, the researchers will use audio recording as a backup

measure.

6. Lastly, the data that will be gathered will be analyzed by the researchers.

Data Analysis

The method that will be used in this study is thematic analysis. Thematic

analysis is a method of analyzing qualitative data. It is usually applied to a set of

texts, such as an interview or transcripts (Caulfield, 2022). It closely examines

the data to identify common themes—topics, ideas, and patterns of meaning that

come up repeatedly. The researchers will carefully analyze the data to identify

recurring themes, which encompass topics, ideas, and patterns of meaning that

emerge consistently. The process of thematic analysis will involve familiarization

with the data, coding, generating themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming

themes and documenting the findings. Therefore, thematic analysis is the most

accurate for this study as it enables the researchers to know and understand

deeply the values, practices, ideas and the opinions of dentists in General

Santos City. By applying this analysis, researchers will gain understanding

regarding the lifestyle and cultural practices done within the dentistry community

in General Santos City.