Aditi Bhalla asks why we wait for burnout to hit before addressing it and highlights the importance of wellbeing tools for prevention.
We are in a high-stakes profession that demands precision, patience and unwavering attention to detail. Beyond the technical skills required, we must manage anxious patients, UDA target pressures, financial obligations, and ever-increasing regulatory demands.
The expectation to work like machines is truly embodied from when you begin dental school and only gets worse when we enter clinical practice. This path only leads us down to constant anxiety, high levels of stress, and eventually burnout.
Some 63% of dental professionals say they are frequently burnt out and exhausted, while almost one in five (18%) describe their mental wellbeing as ‘of concern’, according to a recent survey undertaken by Dental Protection.
We see first-hand how poor mental wellbeing adversely impacts colleagues in their personal and professional lives, and in turn impacts the delivery of patient care. Yet, many of us don’t seek help until we are already knee-deep in burnout.
The question we need to ask is: why are we waiting for burnout to hit before we start addressing it? Instead of reacting to crisis points, we should be proactively equipping ourselves with wellbeing tools to prevent burnout in the first place. We know that without early support, these issues can lead to us needing extended time off work or leaving dentistry altogether.
Prevention matters more than crisis management
The cost of ignoring our own wellbeing is high and it can manifest as emotional exhaustion, stopping us to meaningfully engage with our work or patients, and depersonalisation, causing us to detach from the profession. As a result, this can lead us to no longer find joy or satisfaction in our job.
Beyond the personal suffering, the effects of burnout ripple onto team dynamics and, eventually, patient care. A stressed, exhausted dentist is more prone to errors and thus leaving us in a constant loop of anxiety and fear.
We know regular check-ups for our patients will help them to prevent any oral disease and catch things early on, so why don’t we check in on ourselves and our wellbeing?
As dentists, we are taught to focus on ‘prevention of oral diseases’ for our patients, yet we fail to put in strategies of prevention towards our own wellbeing. We adhere to a culture of pushing through, internalising a dialogue of shame and not feeling good enough when we make any mistakes.
The problem with waiting for burnout is that recovery takes longer, it’s challenging and it can be costly. We know regular check-ups for our patients will help them to prevent any oral disease and catch things early on, so why don’t we check in on ourselves and our wellbeing?
Just like the tools we offer our patients, equipping ourselves with the right tools to navigate the tough days and before burnout hits can help us cultivate emotional resilience, improve focus, create space for self-reflection, and find joy in the career we work very hard for.
Where do we go?
As a specialist dentist, I faced my own struggles and burnt out, like many of us do. The internal shame was huge and I thought I was all alone.
On my quest to healing, recovering and learning, I trained as an integrative psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, mindfulness and mental health teacher, life counsellor and coach. I blend modern psychology with ancient healing practices like yoga and qigong, integrating evidence-based knowledge with spiritual tools. I have also created my own wellbeing kitbag to support me in navigating the challenging days.
Concerned about the isolation and burnout rates in the profession, I am on a mission to break the cycle many dentists get stuck in and equip them with tools they can add to their own wellbeing kitbags that will truly help them thrive in their careers and lives. But this requires more than just individual effort, which is why spaces like the Dental Wellbeing Hub are so essential.
We need a safe space where we prioritise our mental and emotional wellbeing, and a place where we can come for evidence-based advise that will equip us to navigate our challenges. A space where the prevention of burnout, anxiety management and getting support from a community is at the forefront. But more importantly, we focus on tools to heal, grow and thrive.
Together we can change the narrative of dentistry from one of exhaustion and survival to one of balance and fulfilment. Because you are more than your drill, your skills or your productivity. You’re human first and your wellbeing matters.
The fire of burnout doesn’t have to consume you – let’s prevent it before it even starts.
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