Dentistry and aviation engineering - behind the scenes at operations in a UK-based airline

The healthcare industry is commonly compared to the aviation industry with emphasis on human factors and the decision-making processes undertaken by pilots and clinicians alike. The authors have been given exclusive access to meet the head of the maintenance team behind one of the UK's most popular airlines. An open-ended interview took place which was audio-transcribed for thematic analysis. Data were initially coded to identify basic patterns in the transcript. Once this was completed, themes were identified and agreed between the authors which could be compared to healthcare and dentistry. These themes were: regulation, occupational health, maintenance of equipment, use of checklists, reporting, just culture, burnout and disturbances. The aviation engineering industry requires the combination of a skilled workforce working under time pressure often in a financially restricted environment in a similar way to healthcare, especially dentistry. The two industries share common risks, although introduction of risk management tools such as checklists have been prevalent in aviation since the 1930s. Recognition of said risks and themes can lead to shared learning opportunities to benefit both sectors.