7 Healthy Habits to Prevent Dental Practice Burnout

By Paige Anderson, RDH

Burnout has always been a risk for dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthcare providers (dental professionals included) are experiencing unprecedented levels of burnout.

It can manifest physically as headaches, intestinal issues, and even hair loss. Burnout also leads to performance decline, cynicism, and irritability, making it hard to provide outstanding patient experiences.

Here are seven ways to prevent burnout and enjoy a long and healthy career.

Practice Good Ergonomics

One of the significant causes of burnout for dentists and dental clinicians is pain.

Practicing dentistry is demanding on the body. Chronic pain can make every procedure feel like torture, from sore muscles to repetitive strain injuries.

Hygienists are especially prone to issues like back and neck injuries, thoracic outlet syndrome, and carpal tunnel because we spend more time working on patients than other team members.

These injuries can be career-ending. Taking active steps to keep your body in good working order will minimize pain and help you enjoy your job as long as possible.

Protect Yourself From Injuries

• Incorporate short stretching sessions into your routine. The morning huddle is a great time to get the whole team involved! Focus on loosening your neck, upper back, forearms, fingers, shoulders, hamstrings and hip flexors.
• Support good habits with the right equipment. Get an ergonomic operator chair, such as a saddle stool, to help you maintain good posture while you work, and use loupes to keep you from leaning in for a closer look.
• Use the buddy system. Partner up to let your coworkers know if you notice them slouching, leaning, or otherwise putting themselves in compromising positions. (Only with permission! Some coworkers might not welcome the interruption.)
• Take a walk. Get up and do a lap between patients to get your blood moving.

Leave Work at Work

It happens to all of us: We have a challenging case and can’t stop thinking about it, even after we get home to our families.

Fixating on work can steal our attention away from our loved ones and hobbies, robbing us of the chance to truly relax and replenish our energy. Burnout happens gradually, as we find it harder to recuperate between workdays, week to week, and year after year.

Feeling like you can’t fully get away from work will leave you worn down and make it hard to look forward to a fulfilling day at the office.

Get Out of Your Head

• Making a roses and thorns list. At the end of each day or each week, write down what helped you feel energized and uplifted (roses) and what was challenging (thorns). This can prevent focusing too much on the unpleasant aspects of your job and keep your perspective balanced.
• Making a plan to debrief and vent after complex cases. Whether it’s a dentist/assistant duo or hygiene team, commiserating with coworkers can help you process difficulties so you don’t take negativity home.
• Taking care of tasks you’re likely to put off. Those nagging little things you put off until tomorrow become the mosquito in the room that keeps you up at night. Keep a to-do list and stay on top of tasks like payroll and equipment maintenance to prevent building up your mental load.
• Investing in your life outside of work. It’s tempting to come home and veg out (and it’s okay to do sometimes), but if that’s all you do in your time off, you may start to feel like your life revolves around work. Practicing skill-based hobbies like dancing or painting can give you something to look forward to and a sense of identity outside of your job.

Invest in Self-Care

Dentistry should come with a psychology degree. Frequently, we help patients overcome feelings of shame, dental fears, phobias, and previous trauma before we can give them the care they need.

Especially in the post-COVID-19 world, healthcare providers commonly suffer from compassion fatigue, exhaustion, frustration, and many other effects of burnout. Dental clinicians take on a huge emotional burden daily because many patients cope with their stress and anxiety by acting rudely or lashing out.

A healthy self-care routine can release the pressure that builds up as you serve as a source of calm, positivity, and encouragement, even when you’re feeling frustrated and fatigued.

A Little TLC Goes a Long Way

• Meditating and learning mindfulness practices.
• Exercising, especially outdoors. Physical activity will also keep your body strong and resilient against injuries.
• Treat yourself to relaxation services like a professional massage, mani-pedi, or facial. It can take practice to learn how to relax. The forced downtime of these services can help you learn. Plus, physical touch can reduce cortisol and chronic pain, so it’s a win-win.
• Spending time with friends and loved ones. Good social habits can keep you mentally and physically healthier and even prolong your lifespan.
• For dentists, consider preventing burnout in your team with supportive policies when they need to take a day off. Many people force themselves to work when they shouldn’t because of the stress of scheduling days off or calling out.

A Healthy Culture Is Key

Many of the causes of burnout come from your work environment.

Circumstances that trigger burnout include:

• Lack of autonomy.
• Work overload.
• Perception of unfair treatment.
• Lack of support between coworkers.

Improving open communication, socializing as a team, and giving your staff sufficient time in each appointment to do their job to the best of their ability will all contribute to a more positive dental office environment and help prevent burnout throughout the team. Designing your office to be inviting and relaxing is also an excellent investment in supporting your team’s mental health.

More importantly, intentionally building a positive atmosphere guarantees a better experience for your patients. When your team feels energized and engaged in their work, they have more emotional bandwidth to dedicate to their work and your patients.

That means you can do more good in your community and run a more profitable dental practice long-term.

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Author: Paige Anderson is a dental hygienist with eight years of clinical experience and an English degree. She blends her two areas of expertise to create resources for dental providers so they can change lives by giving their patients the highest possible standard of care.