Two-thirds of dental professionals burnt out and exhausted, according to survey
Many say they are working excessive hours to try and meet the demand for NHS appointments.
Almost two thirds (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 survey undertaken by Dental Protection.
In the survey of more than 1,600 dental professionals in the UK – including dentists, dental nurses, hygienists and therapists – half (50%) say they feel under pressure to take on extra work, and a similar amount (48%) said they feel disillusioned.
In the anonymous comments left by respondents, many say they are working excessive hours to try and meet unmanageable demand for NHS appointments. Others discussed staff shortages, the target driven culture, and financial concerns due to the low reimbursement rates paid by the government for NHS treatment not meeting operational costs.
We see firsthand how poor mental wellbeing adversely impacts colleagues in their personal and professional lives.
Yvonne Shaw
Yvonne Shaw, Deputy Dental Director at Dental Protection, said: “It is troubling, though unfortunately not surprising, to see that such a high proportion of dental professionals are burnt out and exhausted, and the degree to which their mental wellbeing is compromised.
“We see firsthand how poor mental wellbeing adversely impacts colleagues in their personal and professional lives, and in turn impacts the delivery of patient care. We know that without early support, these issues can lead to dental professionals needing extended time off work or leaving dentistry altogether.
“I would encourage any member facing mental wellbeing concerns to make use of our confidential counselling service which is a benefit of membership with Dental Protection. Members can access telephone support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as well as face-to-face counselling sessions.
“I would also like to reassure members that we will continue to campaign for the delivery of key reforms that we know could benefit dental professionals’ wellbeing, practice and their patients. GDC reform is also vital to give the profession confidence that if a concern were to be raised about them it would be dealt with fairly, efficiently and sensitively.
“The GDC introduced a range of improvements in 2024, many of which follow on from Dental Protection research into the impact of investigations on dental professionals’ mental wellbeing. However, we believe the regulator could go further, and we would also like to see the Government take steps to ensure GDC reform is not at the back of the queue as it progresses wider regulatory reform.”