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Chronic stress is commonly reported among a large portion of dental professionals. Dentists tend to have the highest suicide rate out of all other working professionals. Historically, the culture among dental professionals has perpetuated dentists to refuse to ask for help or speak up when they are feeling overwhelmed as they feel guilty. The chronic psychological and physiological stress builds up over a period of time resulting in fatigue, increased heart rate, headaches, burnout and depression.
Dentists accumulate their stressors from a number of different factors, such as time restraints, high expectations, anxiety, confinement and the administrative factors associated with their line of work.
Time pressure and restraints
Dentists have an obligation to perform highly stressful and intricate tasks during allotted appointments – and expected to complete them to a very high standard!
Patients may also present to the clinic for a general check up or cleaning and may have underlying issues that may urgently require attention. Emergency procedures can present at any time of day, so dentists need to always be alert and prepared for any scenario. Not only is it stressful for the dentist, the whole team is working around the clock to ensure the patient’s needs are met. The team tries their utmost best to manage time efficiently and not have the next patient waiting too long! Our staff will always give you the option to go for a nice walk along the beach or to grab a coffee if we are running late and will text you once we are back on schedule!
Expectations
Dental professionals are already notoriously harsh critics of their own work, however patients have their own high expectations when they require cosmetic dentistry or orthodontic procedures. With the limitation of dental technology and dental materials, sometimes dentists are not 100% certain they can reach or exceed the patient’s expectations! It is very, very stressful if the patient and/or dentist have varying expectations.
Honesty is the best method in this scenario, this is to ensure that both parties have a clear outlook and methodical plan to reach the best result!
Perfectionism
Being a perfectionist is essentially a prerequisite for becoming a successful dentist! Dental work requires a standard of work that is aesthetically pleasing and must follow a range of systematic steps without cutting corners to ensure longevity.
Perfectionism may be considered a burden to a clinician’s mental health, as they are constantly criticising their own capabilities and work standard. However, it all pays off when the patient is happy with the results at the end of the day and keeps returning for further dental work.
Anxiety
Dentists may experience anxiety as a result of the previously mentioned – plus the added stress of running a business, finances and the physical strain of being a dentist! Dentists are prone to chronic back, neck and hand issues as a result of their profession.
Additionally, dentists have the duty of care to be contacted outside of working outside of business hours for emergency cases- plus the administrative side always piles up! Dental professionals never really can afford to switch off, even on their day off! Alternatively, the roles may be reversed when the patient is doubting the skills of the dentist and generally just nervous within the dental chair. When a patient is nervous or stressed, it can impact the thought process of the dentist and may result in the dentist taking longer to ensure the patient is at ease, happy and cooperative!
Confinement
In many cases, dentists are required to autonomously in a tiny treatment room! This can lead to dentists feeling quite confined and lonely during a long day – patients are lovely but they can’t really communicate easily with a mouth full of instruments during lengthy appointment times!
Dentists may often be stuck with their own thoughts and not have a peer to discuss their ideas and opinions with. Luckily at Dentist Mandy, the dentists are working alongside very bubbly dental assistants, who will make the day much brighter!
Next time you come in for a dental procedure, whether that just be a quick check up and clean, remember to thank your dental team for all their work behind the scenes to facilitate your visit and effort to keep your teeth glistening!
