Dentistry is widely acknowledged to be a particularly stressful profession compared to others, with dentists most anxious about making mistakes, patient complaints and patient confrontation among a long list of potential concerns.[i] There are various things that can be done to reduce the pressure that individuals are under on a daily basis, and one of these is building strong working relationships with team members. This includes both practice staff and professionals that support the practice with products and services.
The effects of stress
The impact of this stress on dental professionals is substantial. Firstly, it is associated with reduced wellbeing among dentists, increasing the risk of mental health concerns like depression and addiction, as well as burnout.[ii] There is also some evidence to suggest that high levels of prolonged stress can negatively affect professional standards and clinical performance,i although more research is needed in the field to better determine the link between the two.[iii]
Finding ways to reduce the stress experienced by dentists and dental teams every day is, therefore, crucial.
Collaboration
Research has shown that effective collaboration within the workplace is hugely beneficial. One study[iv] showed that working well as a collective can motivate individuals to achieve more, to enjoy their work and to perform more productively. The same experiment suggested that people working together also developed greater endurance for the task at hand, meaning they were able to persist for longer without experiencing a negative psychological impact.
This teamwork can be optimised in a wide range of circumstances by establishing strong working relationships. This is particularly true for individuals who hold leadership or management roles[v] (including principals, practice managers, lead dental nurses, treatment coordinators etc.) but can be applied to those in many different positions. As such, it’s important to consider the rapport that is built across the business, both within the practice and between practice staff and external sources such as equipment suppliers and software support services.
Communication
To establish and maintain these strong working relationships between colleagues, open and honest communication is important. This encourages engagement between team members and is key to both facilitating professional relationships and developing the organisation as a whole.[vi]
Good communication also plays a vital role in improving productivity and building trust[vii] – both of which are essential within the dental practice. Once again, these are applicable both with regards to internal and external relationships. However it is achieved, studies[viii] have linked effective communication with a more supportive working environment and reduced stress levels.
An equipment supplier you can count on
To achieve a stress-free life in dentistry – or as close to it as possible – you need to know that you’re working with an equipment provider that shares your commitment to collaboration and communication. You need confidence that your questions will be answered quickly and by the right people. Your team also needs to know that any equipment malfunctions will be responded to rapidly. It is just as crucial that you trust your provider to keep you in the loop when software upgrades are due or new parts are being ordered. Without these aspects, your practice schedule will likely be disrupted, your patient appointments could be delayed and your business will likely have to contend with additional costs and inefficiencies. Such situations will do little to reduce stress levels in the practice, so preventing them is essential. This is why choosing a supplier you can count on is vital.
Working with a team like RPA Dental for your dental equipment needs will help you avoid all of this. Louise Hilton, Practice Manager at PBA Dental & Implant Clinic in Liverpool, says of her 20+ year relationship: “We trust RPA Dental. They really understand our business and we know the team well enough to trust in what they say. The whole team is fantastic and they communicate well. We’re like a close-knit family – over the years, we have built a brilliant working relationship and this makes a big difference to our practice. I think they’re brilliant.”
Teamwork at its finest
There are many potential sources of stress for the modern dental team. Don’t let equipment maintenance be one of them for your practice. Find an equipment supplier that works effectively with you, communicates clearly and builds an excellent working relationship with your practice for the best results.
For more detail about the solutions and services available from RPA Dental, please visit www.dental-equipment.co.uk, call 08000 933 975 or email info@rpadental.net
Adam Shaw Bio
My name is Adam Shaw, and I am the sales Director here at RPA Dental ltd. Married to my wife Michelle and with two teenage boys, weekends are mostly taken up with their sporting activities and social diaries.
Having started life as an apprentice engineer with RPA Dental some 24 years ago, I have seen the Dental industry change and evolve considerably since first starting with the company.
At 16, working as an engineer I attended college one day a week and after a four-year period completed my qualification in electrical and mechanical engineering. From here I spent 5 years in the service department until gaining promotion to a senior status, responsible for managing the team, running my own installation projects and keeping quality levels to a high standard.
Coming from technical background allowed me to understand the equipment specifications and fundamental surgery requirements in its entirety and offered the base line on which to move over to my commercial role in 2011.
Our emphasis has always been on service and support to our clients, and this has continued with our holistic approach to designing surgeries and assisting in an optimum workflow with our valued customers.
My role within the business now is to offer our clients the help and support required on various levels dependant on their individual needs, whilst working with our manufacturing partners to ensure our portfolio brings a complete and extensive offering.
[i] McColl, E., Paisi, M., Plessas, A. et al. An individual-level approach to stress management in dentistry. BDJ Team 9, 13–16 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41407-022-1679-z
[ii] Hallett G, Witton R, Mills I. A survey of mental wellbeing and stress among dental therapists and hygienists in South West England. BDJ Team. 2023;10(4):30–5. doi: 10.1038/s41407-023-1813-6. Epub 2023 Apr 21. PMCID: PMC10120495.
[iii] Plessas A, Delgado MB, Nasser M, Hanoch Y, Moles DR. Impact of stress on dentists’ clinical performance. A systematic review. Community Dent Health. 2018 Mar 1;35(1):9-15. doi: 10.1922/CDH_4118Plessas07. PMID: 29381272.
[iv] Carr, Priyanka & Walton, Gregory. (2014). Cues of Working Together Fuel Intrinsic Motivation. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. 53. 10.1016/j.jesp.2014.03.015.
[v] BI Norwegian Business School. “Managers: Less stress when work relationships are good.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 12 August 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140812121737.htm>.
[vi] Bucăţa, George & Rizescu, Marius. (2017). The Role of Communication in Enhancing Work Effectiveness of an Organization. Land Forces Academy Review. 22. 10.1515/raft-2017-0008.
[vii] Pumble. Communication in the workplace statistics 2024. https://pumble.com/learn/communication/communication-statistics/ [Accessed March 2024]
[viii] Sangal RB, Bray A, Reid E, Ulrich A, Liebhardt B, Venkatesh AK, King M. Leadership communication, stress, and burnout among frontline emergency department staff amid the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed methods approach. Healthc (Amst). 2021 Dec;9(4):100577. doi: 10.1016/j.hjdsi.2021.100577. Epub 2021 Aug 13. PMID: 34411923; PMCID: PMC8361146.
