Dentistry is more than a career. Practitioners care deeply about doing the best for patients and set high standards for themselves. But this does mean the work can be emotionally demanding at times, and it can be challenging to remain calm and in control in a busy clinical environment with the weight of patient expectation.

Many also find it demoralising if they are unable to provide the best level of care. Because of these factors, it's not surprising that mental wellbeing within the profession has declined in recent years as the dental service struggles to respond to patient need.

At the beginning of 2023, 86% of the respondents to a DDU survey said that workplace pressures had increased over the last two to three years. An earlier study commissioned by the GDC (2021) found evidence of high levels of burnout among dentists, which was increasing through the years.

Burnout is now such a concern that the chief dental officer for England devoted his recent LDC Annual Conference presentation to mental resilience within dentistry, and is supporting Breathe Dental Wellness, a new mental wellbeing platform for the profession.

You might not be able to directly control pressures like workload and challenging patients, but it's important not to ignore their impact or the signs of burnout because of the risk this poses to individual dental professionals and their patients.

What is burnout and what causes it?

According to the World Health Organization, burnout is defined as a syndrome resulting from "chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed," and is characterised by exhaustion, increased feelings of detachment, negativity or cynicism, lack of empathy and reduced personal efficiency.

At its worst, those affected might start to make avoidable errors or resort to self-medicating, with alcohol or drugs, to try to keep symptoms at bay. Although overwork and work pressure are the prime causes of burnout, dental professionals are more vulnerable if they don't have a strong support network around them, including family, friends and colleagues.

What are the signs of burnout?

While some people are adept at disguising or deflecting problems, members of the dental team are often in the best place to notice behaviour that seems out of character or problematic.

It might be that someone is becoming increasingly quiet, short-tempered or distant at work, not completing paperwork on time or being late.

These signs aren't necessarily dramatic in themselves - but taken together, they might suggest that something is wrong.

The GDC expects dental professionals to act promptly if patients or colleagues are at risk and take measures to protect them, as detailed in Principle 8 of 'Standards for the dental team'.

Those in a senior role should encourage staff to raise patient safety concerns and have "systems in place for supporting staff who may be having problems with their health, behaviour or professional performance". This might include access to an occupational health service or workplace counselling.

What can you do to help colleagues with burnout?

It's possible to recover from burnout with the right support, but it's important not to leave it too late.

If you're concerned about a colleague's wellbeing, the simplest way forward might be to ask them how they are feeling - and if they respond with a non-descript "fine", to ask again how they are really feeling, which could encourage them to open up.

If you are uncomfortable about doing this, you could talk to someone who knows them better or raise concerns with a senior colleague.

If they confide in you, it's an opportunity for you to signpost them to sources of support, either through the practice or independently. However, you're not expected to be their therapist, and you shouldn't agree to keep quiet out of professional loyalty if they refuse to seek help.

Equally, if you are worried about burnout yourself, you should seek help as soon as possible, even if it feels awkward or embarrassing. The GDC warns in Principle 9 of its standards that, "you must not rely on your own assessment of the risk you pose to patients. You should seek occupational health advice or other appropriate advice as soon as possible."