Burnout is alive and well in our profession. Studies show that 7%, and as high 21%, of dentists struggle with the symptoms of practice burnout.  

These dentists feel drained. They complain of chronic tiredness. They suffer from mental fatigue. They deal with frazzled emotions. They start to see patients as "procedures" rather than people. Cynicism reigns their life.  

It is common for these colleagues to seek isolation. At first, they turn away from their team and patients. This can expand to friends and family. They suffer in silence. They can drift into substance abuse as a means to cope.  

Adding to these problems, they start to blame themselves. They devalue their self worth and feel a lack personal achievement. They feel as if they offer no value to others. Every time they hear the phrase, "no offense, I hate dentists," it reinforces this belief.  

This downward spiral starts to take its toll. It starts with the dentist. But begins to impact the dental practice. Lost patients, lost team members, and falling revenues add to the stress. Burnout's tentacles start to reach into all aspects of the dentist;s life. This starts a move on a spectrum from general stress to burnout. Burnout leads to depression. A path on one wants to be on.  

Does any of this sound familiar? I hope not. But there is a chance some of the above statements describe you.  

This begs the question. How do I know if I'm suffering from burnout? No simple answer exists. Burnout has a multitude of symptoms. Dentists have varying degrees in which they experience each of them. So, with no simple solutions, what is a good starting point? We say you should start with a personal wellness assessment. One designed for dental professionals.  

In this type of self assessment you will be able to gauge your risk for burnout. The results of your assessment will give you information to make future decisions. Some of us don't need to do anything because we have a low risk. Others may need to make some self directed adjustments or seek outside help.  

To get you started we have connected with Mind Garden to offer you a limited (100), no cost, wellness survey. This will help you better understand if you are trending towards, or in, the throws of burnout.  

You can get this limited offer by clicking on the purple link below. Your first name and a good email address will get you the link to an anonymous wellness assessment . The actual assessment gathers no personal information. At its completion you will have a private report provided to you. You may review the report at the end of the assessment or download it to review at a later date.  

Take the first step to beat dental burnout. Click below to take the free dental professional wellness assessment now.