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 Dental Protection 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.
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. This includes NHS contract reform and the introduction of measures which support dental teams to deliver optimised patient care as well as ensuring appropriate remuneration.
“The Government is expected to set out a 10-year NHS strategy this year and a key plank must be providing a clear timetable for NHS contract reform.
“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.”
Dental professionals who participated in the Dental Protection survey commented anonymously:
“Nothing can help me as I am a sole NHS practitioner. I cannot recruit NHS dentists and cannot afford to take any time off. I have taken only one week holiday per year for the last 4 years. I am exhausted and have thought about suicide many times. NHS dentistry needs reform and quickly.”
“I care about my patients and really try to do my best by them, but I push myself and my wellbeing to the side to try to do this. I end up feeling overwhelmed and burst into tears between appointments, but often feel like I’ve no choice but to keep pushing forward. I’m scared of doing something wrong.”
“Radical reform of the way the GDC deals with fitness to practice cases. Radical reform of the NHS contract. I am sure with these changes the mental health wellbeing of dental professionals will improve massively.”
“Pressures are increasing with lack of staff and more demand for appointments. Whatever people try and do the need will increase.”
“NHS Dentists have targets set by their employers, they know they have to achieve these targets or face financial penalties. They often work late/over their contracted hours to achieve these targets.”
“Most dental practices are small and run by the owner. There is a lot of pressure in the day to see patients with no down time at all. If there are any spaces they are filled immediately. It’s not like a normal job where you can get breaks or even go to the toilet. We all work like machines and physically and mentally there is no let up.”
“We need to change the ethos of the profession away from being target driven. Targets are a disincentive and a burden, an additional stress.”
