BACKGROUND:
Oral diseases are highly prevalent, yet South Africa faces persistent rural–urban maldistribution of oral health professionals. Evidence on migration beyond a broader oral health workforce remains limited. This study therefore assessed rural–urban migration among oral health professionals by examining their demographic and professional profiles, geographic distribution, and workplace factors associated with migration, to inform more equitable oral health workforce planning and service delivery.

METHODS:
A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among South African oral health professionals registered in 2024/25. An online questionnaire captured demographics, migration patterns, and drivers. Data from 223 respondents were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression to identify factors associated with rural–urban migration.

RESULTS:
Among 223 oral health professionals (response rate 14.5%), 27.2% reported rural–urban migration. Respondents were predominantly African (73.5%), female (71.8%), and early- to mid-career, with most working in rural areas (73.1%). Migration was concentrated towards Gauteng (70%). Key reasons included employment opportunities and career growth (80% each). Multivariable analysis showed migration was significantly associated with professional category, first job post-training, area type (rural vs urban), and province size, while demographic factors were not significant.

CONCLUSIONS:
This study shows that rural–urban migration among South African oral health professionals is driven mainly by workplace context, career stage, professional category, and provincial conditions rather than individual demographics. Migration was concentrated towards Gauteng, with notable variation across oral health worker categories. These findings underscore the need for context-specific, profession-sensitive workforce policies that address structural and institutional drivers to support equitable oral health service distribution.