Dentists are almost twice as likely as the general population to feel dissatisfied with life according to a recent survey on dentists' well-being. The research, carried out by the British Dental Association (BDA) last summer, found that dentists rated their levels of satisfaction with life and happiness, and whether the activities they engage in seem worthwhile at much lower levels than the wider population. They also reported higher levels of anxiety.

The survey, based on 481 responses from community dentists and 903 from GDPs, measured dentists' perceptions of their own well-being using four indicators developed by the Office of National Statistics. Among community dentists, almost half (47%) of those surveyed reported low levels of life satisfaction and 55% said they experienced high levels of anxiety during the day before they took part in the study. Similarly, almost half of GDPs surveyed (47%) reported low levels of life satisfaction and around six out of ten said they experienced high levels of anxiety.

The Chair of the BDA's Principal Executive Committee, Mick Armstrong, said: 'It's hardly surprising that dentists are stressed – just providing good dental care for our patients and managing their increasing expectations within a shrinking budget is challenging. If that wasn't enough, dentists now practise under the shadow of litigation and arcane, over-zealous regulation.'

The BDA researchers observed that GDPs who do mainly NHS work reported lower levels of well-being than those doing mainly private work.

Armstrong warned that: 'Commissioners, managers and regulators would do well to heed these warning signs.'

The full report is available on the BDA website: https://www.bda.org/dentists/policy-campaigns/research/workforce-finance/gp/wellbeing.