Aim Dentists in the Public Dental Health Service (PDHS) in Sweden seem to have a larger discrepancy between ideal and reality with regard to good work than do other academic groups in Sweden. [ Aronsson G, Bejerot E, Härenstam A. Public Personnel Management 1999;28:197-215., Hjalmers K, Söderfeldt B, Axtelius B. Acta Odontol Scand 2004;62:107-10.] This study investigates how oral surgeons and female general practice dentists (GPDs), two groups in the PDHS, perceived good work, both in an ideal world and in reality, as well as to compare if there was a discrepancy between the two. Methods A questionnaire containing twelve items about good work (Aronsson 1999) was sent to the oral surgeons and to the female GPDs. There were 106 oral surgeons from 22 oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) clinics in Sweden. Of them, 90% responded to the questionnaire. The GPDs were 183 female dentists without any managerial position, working in one region in Sweden. Of them, 94% responded to the questionnaire. Results The oral surgeons and the GPDs rated highest the following two criteria: The job should be intellectually stimulating (91% of both the oral surgeons and the GPDs considered this as very important) and the job should provide opportunities to have an influence on important decisions (82% and 85% of the oral surgeons and the GPDs, respectively, considered this as very important). Opportunity for career advancement was more important for the oral surgeons and this was the only criterion, where the gap between ideal and reality was wider for the oral surgeons than it was for the GPDs. Conclusions The main result was that the criteria for an ideal work situation among the oral surgeons corresponded to those among the female GPDs. For all aspects but one, however, the discrepancy between ideal and reality with regard to good work was wider for the female GPDs. Acknowledgements: Supported by FoU-centre in Southern Älvsborg County, Sweden.