And at the far end , this can degrade a professional ’ s state of well-being , and possibly exacerbate feelings of burnout .
Professional burnout is a concern amongst dentists . Close to 1 in 10 dentists responding to a national survey reported high levels of burnout . Burnout is an occupational hazard characterized by feelings of emotional overextension and exhaustion by work . Additionally , burnout may present with cynicism toward one ’ s profession , a sense of depersonalization ( severe or marked feelings unlike oneself ), and a loss of personal effectiveness . Some warning signs of burnout in the workplace include losing an enthusiastic approach to arriving and staying at work , objectifying patient appointments or depersonalizing staff . At its worst , feelings of dread before going to work , isolating , or poorly relating to staff or patients can indicate a dentist is burned out .
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL 21