Feeling the Burn(out)? 5 Steps to Help Reset.

DentalPost is exploring the cyclical trends in dentistry recently revealed by the 2023 Dental Salary Survey that saw input from over 15,000 dental professionals nationwide. From pay cuts to burnout to competition, it’s a tough economy for dentists, and we’re sharing best practices and tips for dental professionals looking to stay ahead of the curve. This is the second article in a series that navigates the highs and lows of practice ownership and management. 

Working hard and feeling the burn. How long can you last?

Do you know fellow dentists and dental practice owners who seem to have achieved the mythical “work-life balance” – enjoying time with family, traveling, or generally spending less time in the office than you? Are these the same peers who’ve built a successful dental practice despite finding the time to enjoy life?   

It’s an age-old tale: as a dentist, you chain yourself to the chair day after month after year after decade with the expectation that you will be living your best life after retirement. Meanwhile, you watch peers enjoy trips or scoot out of the office early to catch 18 holes before dinner. Is the only path to success really to keep your head down and continue the grind?

The annual DentalPost Salary Survey reveals that nearly 50% of doctors in corporate practice work more than 35 hours a week as opposed to 46% of their peers in private practice. Of these professionals, 51% in corporate and 30% in private prefer to work fewer hours per week. That’s a sizable number of dentists who feel the burn and are looking to reduce hours at their practice to prevent further stress. 

On one of our social media channels recently, we saw a post from a hard-working dentist lamenting: “The burnout is settling in, and I am considering taking a mental sick day…but I can’t overcome the feeling of abandoning the staff and my patients.”   

The burnout is settling in. Like a bad virus, burnout creeps in slowly at first. And before you know it, you have a full-on, raging illness that’s a challenge to kick. And despite needing to dive into the deep end of self-care, you feel a duty to continue your regular business. You don’t want to let anyone down or fail your team. The result of not taking time for yourself is more profound burnout that you might not return from. It harms your health, practice, happiness, and team. 

How to Overcome Burnout in 5 Steps  

When a third to one-half of dentists cry uncle over long work hours, it’s time to sit up, pay attention, and figure out how to prevent burnout plaguing the dental profession. The need for a remedy is further bolstered by an ADA study conducted in 2021, revealing that anxiety among dental professionals had tripled in just over a decade. Tripled!

While the cure for burnout doesn’t happen overnight, there are several ways to mitigate it and get back on track:

1. Determine the type of dentistry you want to practice

Do you want to specialize in specific treatments? Work with non-PPO dependent patients? Or offer your services as a membership club? This is entirely up to you, but it can help to focus on one avenue instead of trying to do it all. 

Trouble deciding? We suggest reviewing the demand for your current services/treatments and researching the public demand for them in your area. After that, analyzing the profitability of each service/treatment can help you figure out where you can optimize your time and service offerings. A dental-specific marketing agency can help you with this research and analysis. Once a plan is made, they can attract the patients you want to your practice.

2. Chop away at debt

This is especially critical for younger dentists not far removed from dental school and dentists looking to retire with a sellable practice. Debt is paralyzing and only piles on stress and anxiety, keeping you from realizing your practice’s full earning potential. 

There are a few options: paying a financial advisor to review your practice and personal finances and/or scheduling a free practice growth call to create a personalized marketing roadmap for optimizing your profitability and reaching your financial goals.

3. Stay engaged and don’t keep it bottled up

If you’re struggling with burnout, chances are other professionals around you are, too. Speak up, talk about it, and develop solutions as a team. It could be that you can delegate more than you think. Or maybe a flexible schedule is something your team is craving so the grind doesn’t feel like a grind. Whatever move you make, don’t do it alone.

4. Find your community and find relief

While misery loves company, why not find like-minded dental professionals who want the same for their practice and life? You don’t have to commiserate and complain together. Instead, build each other up, set goals, and hold each other accountable. Or just lend an ear to a colleague in need. It’ll make both of you feel better.

5. Self-Care is never overrated 

Anyone who’s flown has heard the saying: “You must secure your own oxygen mask first before assisting those around you.” Ensuring our own well-being is at the center of self-care. It’s critical to push past the feeling of abandoning your team and patients when taking time for yourself. Look at it this way, would you want to be around a cranky, stressed-out dentist? Neither does your team or patients. Take time off and take back your life. 

A strong support system helps prevent and heal yourself from burnout. Get back to why you went into dentistry and refocus on helping your patients the best way you know how. These are steps in the right direction to correcting the harmful effects of burnout. 

If you do nothing else, take a vacation. Your practice, team, and patients will be there when you return a refreshed, happier, and healthier you.