From daunting administrative and business tasks to dealing with difficult patients and staff, there are many reasons why most dentists agree their career leaves them feeling burned out from time to time. If you can relate to this, then these tips are for you.
Start delegating tasks: To do this, you need to know yourself and what you can handle. Once you know what you like to do and what you’re good at when it comes to the business side of things, stop multitasking and start delegating the tasks that would be better suited for a different team member. Hire additional admin help like an office manager. Speak with existing staff to see if anyone is looking to step up. Get help!
Find your passion: We already know you love dentistry, but what else can you do to find passion and create? If you enjoy writing, consider contributing to a dental publication (email tanya@newcom.ca to submit to Oral Health!). If you love to share your knowledge and aesthetics, consider content creation for social media. If you enjoy speaking and have some technical knowledge, create your own podcast. Having creative hobbies outside of your career or within it can help avoid burnout.
Community: Find the people that make you feel less stress and negativity, whether that’s dental peers who can relate to you or friends and family that take your mind off work. Being involved in a healthy, supportive community may do wonders for your dental career burnout.
As seen in the print issue of Oral Health February 2024
In October and November 2023 Bramm Research, a third-party independent research house, conducted an online survey of active, practicing non-hospital affiliated dentists and dental specialists on behalf of Oral Health. Survey invitations went out to a contact list of approximately 9,000 readers and there were 265 completions, for a response rate of 2.9 With a total sample of 265, the margin of error is plus or minus 5.9 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level. If, for example, 50% of the sample indicated that agreed with a statement, then we can be reasonably sure (19 times out of 20) of an accuracy within +/- 5.9%. This means that a total census would reveal an answer of not less than 44.1% and not more than 55.9%.
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