staffing
PREVENTING
BURNOUT in Dental Offices
by Audra Morris
Now that we are over half-way through 2022 , it is a good time to take stock on how the first two quarters of the year were for your dental practice . Anything from dental supplies to treatment acceptance to staffing issues could be some of the topics to reflect on what has gone well and what may need another look . With staffing , so much has been said of our current labor market – especially with terms like the Great Resignation from 2021 and the Great Rehire in 2022 .
And burnout seems to have played a role in both the resignations and what jobs to consider as part of the rehire .
Burnout – defined by the Mayo Clinic as a “ state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity ” – is not new to the labor market .
Burnout was a topic at the Texas Dental Hygienists ’ Association meeting in February with a course entitled “ Mental Ergonomics of DH , Burnout , Mental Health , and Stress Management ” by Kandice Swarthout , RDH , LPC , a professor in the dental hygiene department of Collin College in McKinney and Licensed Professional Counselor . Also , the American Dental Hygienists ’ Association meeting in June had a course entitled “ From Burnout to Recovery : Strategic Solutions Used to Address and Manage Burnout ” taught by Kari Carter-Cherelus , RDH , DA .
In addition to the meetings , several industry publications have included recent articles about mental health and burnout . RDH Magazine published an article in July 2021 written by Jasmin Haley , RDH , MSDH , CDA , about burnout specific to the dental profession and noted that 30.9 % of dental hygienists reported feeling burned out ( versus 20 % of the working population ). Jasmin Haley ’ s article continues to describe the typical symptoms of burnout to be :
• Exhaustion
• Alterations in appetite or sleep pattern
• Feeling of emptiness , helplessness , and meaninglessness
• Feelings of failure and self-criticism
• Cynicism and negativity
• Irritability
Burnout can appear in dental professionals as tardiness and absenteeism , changes in a team member ’ s interactions with the rest of the team and / or with the patients , complacency , and turnover . All these indications have a direct financial impact on the practice and an overall mental impact on the team as well as the patient experience within the practice .
Many of the articles point to several things the practice can do to help minimize burnout and its ripple effects , including :
• Offering high quality instruments and assistance in acquiring loupes ( if needed ) as well as ergonomically designed operatories to minimize the physical toll of the repetitive actions
• Scheduling at least a 30-minute lunch break so the dental professionals have time to mentally and physically recharge
• Providing sufficient appointment time to complete all legal aspects of dental hygiene
• Allowing the dental professionals to be able to provide feedback on the way patients are scheduled and on the products being ordered
• Approving time off requests , even if unpaid
In addition , recent articles and studies have highlighted different ways Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) could help automate some of the manual or human aspects of dentistry and allow more time for patient interaction / education and discussion of overall oral healthcare – all positive aspects of any job in dentistry and likely one of the many reasons people get excited about the profession . And likely , would assist in the reduction of feelings of burnout .
Different ways AI can help dental offices include :
• Radiographs – detect and diagnose dental caries
• Orthodontics – treatment planning , including needed extractions
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