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A helpline service is making a difference for dentists and other employees in the dental industry as they face mental health challenges and a range of work-related stressors. By Cameron Cooper
How ever you shake the numbers, the mental health and wellbeing prognosis for Australian dentists and their teams is concerning.
A 2023 study, titled ‘Mental health, psychological distress and burnout in Australian dental practitioners’, reveals that dental industry workers are dealing with a “high burden” of mental health concerns. The survey of 1400 dentists and dental practitioners across Australia shows that almost one-third of respondents experience moderate to severe psychological distress, and 24.8 per cent are likely to be suffering from burnout. Disturbingly, the study notes that 17.6 per cent of respondents had reported thoughts of taking their own life in the preceding 12 months.
With the data pointing to worrying levels of depression, anxiety, burnout and psychological distress, the findings underline the value of Dental Practitioner Support, a 24-hour service that provides telephone and email support for dental practitioners. Set up during COVID-19 at the suggestion of the Dental Board of Australia, the service has counsellors on call who assist dental industry workers with a range of issues.
“We’ve got about 15 fantastic call team members,” says Esther Bacon, stakeholder engagement coordinator for Dental Practitioner Support. “They’re really well-versed in doing a brief assessment of callers because needs can obviously vary from one call to the next. It might not be about providing a solution on that day, but rather signposting that caller and guiding them in the right direction with their health.”
Dental Practitioner Support is run independently by Turning Point, a leading addiction treatment, research and education organisation which has for three decades provided various telephone and online support services across Australia.
Bacon says there is an unfortunate stigma attached to people reaching out for help, adding that all calls to Dental Practitioner Support are private. “We just want to open up a conversation that is completely confidential.”
Bacon says many calls involve a workplace-related mental health problem, whether it’s burnout and stress from navigating complex workplace issues around business development and regulatory demands or dealing with harassment and bullying.
Needs can obviously vary from one call to the next. It might not be about providing a solution on that day, but rather signposting that caller
and guiding them in the right direction with their health.
Esther Bacon, stakeholder engagement coordinator, Dental Practitioner Support
“For dentists, it could also be the risk of litigation from a patient, or it could be fallout from the pandemic and dealing with loss of income,” she says.
The upshot is that, according to the report, 25 per cent of dental practitioners have “symptoms consistent with burnout. That’s huge,” Bacon says.
Addiction counselling represents another, albeit smaller component of the helpline’s work. “What often happens is we get a phone call about a different topic, and then during the conversation it might lead us to uncovering issues around addiction. So, there’s a plethora of issues and I don’t think it’s a one-size-fits-all scenario for the dental practice workforce.”
The Dental Practitioner Support team is also conscious of the need to provide early aid for dental students and recent graduates. “It’s really important that we are protecting workers’ wellbeing and self-care activities from day one,” Bacon says. “We want to have these conversations at the start of someone’s career pathway into the health workforce, rather than dealing with people 20 years down the track when they are burnt out and stressed about going to work.”
Research from the Mindful Smiles Hub provides an insight into some of the potential reasons behind the mental health challenges of the Australian dental profession. The report shows that 87.3 per cent of dentists are “distinctly perfectionist”, a characteristic that puts them at increased risk of burnout.
“While that trait contributes to high patient care, there can be an emotional impact from carrying that weight of perfectionism in day-to-day practice,” Bacon says.
The study also notes that dental practitioners make up 3.5 per cent of health practitioners in Australia, yet they account for about 10 per cent of all complaints made to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. While the vast majority of these result in no disciplinary action, their impact on dentists can be significant. “It just shows the heaviness that the dental workforce is under in terms of performance and outcomes for their clients,” Bacon says.
What often happens is we get a phone call about a different topic, and then during the conversation it might lead us to uncovering issues around addiction. So, there’s a plethora of issues and I don’t think it’s a one-size-fits-all scenario for the dental practice workforce.
Esther Bacon, stakeholder engagement coordinator, Dental Practitioner Support
In addition to improving health outcomes, anecdotal evidence suggests Dental Practitioner Support can assist dental clinics with staff retention. Addressing worker issues early can help nip potential problems in the bud and ensure that staff are happier on the job.
Bacon is pleased more conversations are being had about the mental health of all people in the dental industry. The key now is to generate more publicity and awareness of the service and to ensure those needing support are aware of it.
The Dental Practitioner Support team is rolling out a new communications strategy, including increasing advertising, boosting the service’s social media and podcast presence, and getting the message across at relevant dental conferences, including the National Congress held by the Australian Dental and Oral Health Therapists’ Association (ADOHTA) and the Dental Hygienists Association of Australia (DHAA).
“We had great feedback from our recent presentation at the joint ADOHTA and DHAA 2024 Congress from people who commented, ‘Oh, I didn’t even know this support service existed’,” Bacon says.
Additionally, the service is seeking to bring in extra dental industry and mental health experts to ramp up the education and skills of the telephone and online counsellors.
Bacon is confident that the need for Dental Practitioner Support has been well established, with more dental practices seeking information about the service and conference attendees asking for brochures and website details. “It’s really sparked people’s interest and there’s obviously a demand for it. We are here to really grow the service and make a positive impact.”
Call Dental Practitioner Support on 1800 377 700 or visit www.dpsupport.org.au.
