How to Cope With Burnout as a Dentist - Colorado Dental Association

From the Summer 2022 Journal of the Colorado Dental Association

We need to have a conversation about dentists and stress.

Some may not think of dentistry as one of the world’s most stressful occupations, but research consistently shows that it is. The levels of stress and burnout that dentists around the world are facing on a daily basis is alarming but comes as no surprise.

Dentistry is hard work—complaints from patients, compromised treatment plans, and isolated working environments are all factors that can contribute to dentists’ high level of burnout.

Many dentists don’t know that there’s something you can do about this stress. When stress becomes unmanageable, you burn out—and when you burn out, you can’t do your job as well as you’d like.

It’s important that you catch the signs of burnout while it’s still in its early stages and seek support. Stress is part of the job but you don’t have to go through this alone.

Facts About Dentistry and Burnout

The research that’s been done so far has told us, time and time again, that dentists are burnt out and need support.

Between 67%[i] and 86%[ii] of dentists report moderate to severe occupational stress.
More than 1 in 5 dentists[iii] meet the criteria for moderate clinical depression.
Dentists have historically had a higher rate of suicide[iv] than people in other professions, although we need more research to be able to say for sure why this is.
Dentists who have perfectionistic tendencies are more likely to burn out.
One study found that dentists are around 50%[v] less likely to seek help and tend to be more isolating. An isolated working environment is one of the things that contributes to burnout for dentists.
Over half[vi] of dentists report that they don’t want to seek help because they feel like they should be able to resolve their problems on their own.

This research doesn’t suggest that, if you work in dentistry, you’re bound to become burnt out or depressed. In fact, studies also show that many dentists live happy and fulfilled lives, and most are satisfied in their careers overall.

That said, dentists do face unique stressors and challenges. And, ironically, what makes people good dentists—perfectionism and a near-obsessive attention-to-detail—also makes them vulnerable to burnout, anxiety and depression. This, coupled with the fact that dentists are less likely to seek help, make dentists more likely to burn out.

Signs of Burnout

If you know how to recognize signs of burnout when they’re happening, then you can seek support so it doesn’t get any worse.

Some of the most common signs of burnout that dentists report include:

Emotional exhaustion
Apathy, or feeling like you are emotionally disconnected from your work
Helplessness: feeling like no matter what you do, you aren’t doing a good job
Having less and less time for family and friends
Lack of energy
Feeling worn down at the end of a workday
Dreading going into work in the morning
Feeling that every minute spent at work is exhausting
Resentment toward patients
Self-doubt, and feeling like you don’t make a difference

If you’re unsure about whether or not you’re facing burnout, the American Dental Association has created a Dental Burnout Self-Assessment that you can take online[vii].

When and How to Ask for Help

Many dentists think that a certain level of stress is in the job description; they don’t think they need professional support for something that everyone else in the profession faces, too. While that may be true, to a degree, we all have the capacity to handle some stress on our own. At the same time, when it comes to burnout and your profession, it’s better to get help sooner rather than later.

If you recognized yourself in any of the listed signs of burnout (or the online self-assessment), it’s important that you seek support. This can feel uncomfortable, especially if you already feel like you should be able to handle things on your own. But seeking support is not a sign of weakness. You’re only human, and you can’t do it all. Recognizing the fact that you need support is a sign of dedication toward yourself, your patients and your loved ones. It’s a sign that you’re willing to do whatever it takes to give your best self to this work.

A professional therapist can:

Listen to your concerns without judgment
Teach you skills you can use to bring down your stress levels
Help you make a plan for your life that makes sense to you
Normalize and validate your feelings
Help you challenge unhelpful thinking patterns that may be contributing to stress
Support you in building healthy habits that improve your life

One of the easiest ways to seek support when you’re feeling burnt out is through an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). An EAP is a FREE and CONFIDENTIAL service that you receive as a CDA member. Through your EAP, you can get in touch with a licensed therapist who can give you a safe place to express yourself and help you make a plan for how to cope with what you’re going through.

This is a completely private service brought to you by the CDA Wellness Committee. No one needs to know that you’re seeing a therapist if that’s something you’re concerned about. The CDA cares about you and member wellness is a priority that we’re committing to with this brand-new member benefit.

Your patients deserve the best version of you. More importantly, you deserve the best version of you. Burning out is not your fault, but there are things you can do to overcome this and get back to loving your job. Dentists are superheroes, but that doesn’t mean you can carry the world on your shoulders.

Get the support you need! The CDA has teamed up with Mines and Associates to provide all members and their household members with access to robust mental health, behavioral health and wellbeing tools.

Wellness Member Benefits Include: