Menopause and HR: what dental employers need to know

Lara Brewood-Green explains the HR responsibilities dental employers have around menopause at work and how they can support their teams.

What legal responsibilities do dental practices have around menopause at work?

Menopause itself isn’t currently a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, but employees experiencing menopausal or perimenopausal symptoms might be protected under existing characteristics, such as disability, sex and age.

If someone’s symptoms have a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, they could meet the legal definition of disability. If they do, the employer has a duty to consider what reasonable adjustments they can make to support that individual.

There was a useful case, Rooney v Leicester City Council, where the Employment Appeal Tribunal recognised that severe menopausal symptoms were capable of amounting to a disability.

Dental practices also have health and safety responsibilities, so they should consider whether the working environment is exacerbating someone’s symptoms. For example, if somebody is working in a surgery without air conditioning or a fan and is really suffering with hot flushes, the practice should be mindful of what reasonable adjustments could be made.

Research published in the British Dental Journal in 2022 reported that 76.9% of the dental team were women, including 92.6% of dental care professionals (DCPs) and 50.9% of dentists.

It also found that 35% of DCPs and 43% of dentists were within an age range potentially affected by menopause.

More recent GDC figures continue to show the female-heavy nature of the profession: of dental nurses joining the register during 2025, 96% were female.

What reasonable adjustments might a dental practice need to make?

Dental practices are often very female-centric workplaces, so this is likely to be particularly relevant.

There’s no one-size-fits-all adjustment because everybody is individual and there are many recognised symptoms.

The starting point should always be a conversation with the individual about what they’re experiencing and what might help them.

Adjustments can be quite simple. They could include additional breaks between patients, better access to drinking water, a fan or cooler in the working area, flexible start and finish times or changes to uniform where possible.

Symptoms and their severity vary considerably from person to person. However, if colleagues are experiencing fatigue, sleep disturbances, brain fog or having difficulty concentrating, practices could look at the length of clinical sessions or particularly demanding duties and whether things can temporarily be organised differently.

In a dental setting, you also need to think about personal protective equipment (PPE). Surgeries can be small and stuffy, and then you have masks and other PPE on top of that. Adjustments don’t necessarily have to be expensive. It’s about understanding what might work for that individual and agreeing a plan to support them.

How should managers handle menopause-related absence or performance concerns?

I think practices should exercise a level of discretion when applying absence trigger points where absence is related to perimenopause or menopause, rather than applying them automatically. Managers should consider the individual circumstances, whether the symptoms could amount to a disability and whether adjusting trigger points or treating some absence differently might be a reasonable adjustment.

If someone has previously performed well and suddenly starts struggling with concentration, fatigue or absence, it is important to understand whether there is an underlying reason.

Return-to-work conversations are important so managers can understand and document the reason for an absence and whether the employee is struggling with anything.

If there has been a significant increase in absence related to perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms, it may also be helpful, with the employee’s consent, to seek appropriate medical or occupational health advice.

This can give the practice manager or owner a better understanding of how the employee is being affected and what support or adjustments might help.

That doesn’t mean employers can’t manage genuine performance or attendance concerns, but they need to understand what is causing the problem and what support might be appropriate. Managers aren’t there to diagnose menopause. It’s important to take the time to have a good conversation with the individual and document what has been discussed, including any agreed actions.

What simple steps can practices take to support their teams and reduce legal risk?

Some of the most effective measures are quite straightforward. The first is creating an environment where people feel comfortable having a conversation. There used to be a lot of stigma and embarrassment around perimenopause and menopause. Although I don’t think we’re quite in the same place now, it can still be difficult for people to talk about.

If you create an open and supportive environment, employees are more likely to feel comfortable talking to their practice manager about what is happening.

Practices should also review their policies and make sure they are fit for purpose. It’s worth considering a menopause policy or guidance, although having a policy isn’t enough on its own. Managers need to understand how to apply it practically.

Training can also help managers feel comfortable dealing with these situations. Ultimately, it comes back to listening to the individual, agreeing adjustments, documenting them and reviewing them. Perimenopause and menopause can take place over many years, so somebody’s needs may change over time.

What has changed under the Employment Rights Act 2025?

The Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces a specific requirement around menopause action plans for larger employers. From 6 April 2026, action plans around menopause and gender pay gaps were introduced on a voluntary basis. Subject to remaining secondary legislation, they are due to become mandatory from spring 2027 for employers with 250 or more employees.

Those plans will need to set out the steps the employer is taking to address the gender pay gap and support employees experiencing menopause.

Most individual dental practices won’t meet the 250-employee threshold, although larger DSOs will. But that doesn’t mean smaller employers should do nothing. They still need to recognise their existing Equality Act and health and safety responsibilities, have conversations with employees and make reasonable adjustments where needed.

What should a team member do if they feel unsupported at work?

I would encourage them to speak to their practice manager or practice owner in the first instance and explain how their symptoms are affecting them at work. It helps to be specific about the difficulties they are experiencing and what adjustments they think might help.

If they don’t feel comfortable speaking to their immediate manager, they could consider whether there is somebody else within the practice they feel comfortable approaching.

Employees don’t necessarily need to disclose everything, particularly if something feels very personal. The important thing is that the employer understands how their symptoms are affecting them at work and what support they might need. If concerns cannot be resolved informally, the employee could consider raising the matter through the practice’s formal grievance procedure or seeking independent advice, for example from Acas.

What is your main advice for dental practices?

Don’t make assumptions – have the conversation. Menopause and perimenopause affect everybody differently. One person might experience hot flushes, while another might struggle predominantly with sleep, migraines or joint problems.

Ask what is affecting them at work, what would help them and what the practice can reasonably accommodate, and then review it.

For dentistry specifically, supporting employees through menopause isn’t only about legal compliance. It’s also about retaining experienced, skilled people. Menopause can have a significant impact on someone’s confidence and wellbeing, and some people may find the changes they experience difficult or unsettling. Having empathy and taking the time to listen is a really good place to start.

Menopause Matters in Dentistry

In partnership with Colosseum Dental, Dentistry is recognising October’s Menopause Awareness Month.

Through expert insight, evidence-based information and the real experiences of dental professionals, the month-long campaign will focus on education, visibility and practical support, exploring the different ways menopause can affect those working across dentistry – as well as its potential implications for oral health.

Read more from the campaign:

• Observation without assumption: the evidence on falling oestrogen and the mouth
• Menopause is in the chair, are we trained to see it?
• Perimenopause and menopause: signs to look out for in dental patients
• Transition, not decline: supporting women in dentistry through midlife
• Understanding menopause in dentistry.

Create a free account for unlimited access — plus the Dentistry Bulletin delivered to your inbox.