So many dentists are struggling.
20% of dentists experience thoughts of suicide
44% of dentists report low levels of happiness
The Problem
Dentists are facing a mental health and addictive disorder crisis
According to research from the British Dental Journal in 2019, over half of dentists say stress in their job is exceeding their ability to cope.
What drives this stress? Regulation and fear of litigation from patients.
The implication of this should not be underestimated. A fifth of the 2,000 UK dentists surveyed had experienced serious suicidal thoughts.
This research adds further gravity to existing evidence that dentistry is a highly stressful profession that comes with a unique set of challenges. The nature of the work undertaken and the associated working conditions can negatively impact both dentists’ well-being and the care they provide to patients.
According to the British Dental Association, many dentists are paralysed by a fear of doing the wrong thing, impeding their skills, development and quality of every day life. Their research shows that 44% of dentists report low levels of happiness and 55% admit to experiencing high levels of anxiety.
How dentists respond to the psychological impact of the stress of their job differs – but they are at greater risk of developing a substance abuse problem. Sadly, lots of dentists turn to alcohol, with a fifth of dentists reporting drinking most days a week. This compares to a national average of 9.6%.
All the research into the impact of dentistry on well-being points to the importance of a dedicated, fully funded confidential support service, similar to the service that GPs have access to.
The Solution: Dentists’ Health Support Trust
We believe no dentist should have to face a mental health or addiction problem alone
We listen, give support and advice and fight for dentists’ wellbeing.
When you’re experiencing mental health difficulties and addiction problems, support can change your life. Our drive to change the lives of dentists who are struggling with everyday life is unrelenting.
While we can’t change the fast-moving, performance-driven requirements of dentistry, we can be there for dentists when they need someone to talk to during tough times.
The Dentists Health Support Trust began in the late 1980s as the Sick Dentist Scheme, changing its name and constitution in 1991 to become the Dentists Health Support Trust. We receive around 500 new contacts a year from dentists, DCPs, their colleagues and families.
Our telephone helpline is the primary way that people make contact with us. We assess individuals and find out more about what’s happening. If we think intervention and treatment is required, we identify what might be the most effective treatment for that individual. Sometimes we provide this and for some treatments, we will refer dentists to specialists.
The trusting relationships we build with dentists throughout our contact with them lies at the foundation of our work.
We have around an 80% success rate
We receive around 500 new contacts a year
We empower dentists to understand their condition
and the choices available to them through:
Once dentists have come into contact with DHST, we will ensure they get the right diagnosis and treatment for their mental health or addiction problems, and provide them with wellbeing support thanks to our mental health professionals. We take responsibility for liaising between health providers and other professionals involved in the dental professional’s treatment. This may involve talking treatments such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), psychiatric medication such as antidepressants or mood stabilisers and complementary and alternative therapies such as exercise and meditation.
Making sure we continue to be there for dentists post-intervention is critical. We don’t believe in one-off interactions with people that get in touch. We take pride in providing on-going support not just for individuals but also for their family and colleagues who might be suffering or struggling as a result. The road to recovery can be a long one but we’re here for dentists and those close to them every step of the way.
Ensuring there is better widespread awareness of the challenges faced by dentists is a key part of our work. We travel up and down the country to spread the word and engage with different networks and platforms to make sure we’re reaching as many people as possible. We want more people to understand the reality of the challenges of dentistry – and the work that we do to combat this.
We have around an 80% success rate with our work, this is better than most comparable UK charities. With our help, dentists get the diagnosis, intervention and support that they need to get back to work and improve their quality of life and the lives of those around them.
We have DHST Associates around the country who assist the Trustees and co-ordinators providing help and support locally.
As a charity run by dentists for dentists, we understand the problems and difficulties dentists are faced with.
I self-referred to DHST following a crisis in my practice where a patient raised concerns about my fitness to practise because of alcohol consumption. Throughout the whole recovery process, DHST has been a constant presence, providing sensible advice. I continue to practise dentistry to this day.
Here to support you – get in touch now
The service is free and entirely confidential