The idea that dentists are at a high risk of death from suicide is not new. I remember talk of this from when I entered dental school in the late 1990s, and it seems to be supported by historical evidence.1 But a recent Australian paper shows how serious a problem this is.2

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The research found that one in six dentists considered taking their own life within the previous year. Almost a third had contemplated suicide before this. Most shockingly, over 5% of participants, one in 20, had tried to take their own life at some point. This isn't solely an Australian problem. Pre-pandemic research in the UK suggested that around 10% of dentists had considered suicide recently.3 While no post-pandemic research is available, it's hard to imagine that the increased pressures of service recovery have reduced this number.

These numbers sound high, but it's worthwhile remembering that, due to the nature of the subject, it's challenging to obtain accurate data. But there's clearly a high rate of suicidal ideation in the dental profession. The cause of this is multifactorial, and in the UK at least, is related to fear of litigation, patient complaints and regulatory investigation, among other factors.

Recent years have seen the GDC receive a series of Freedom of Information requests regarding the suicide of registrants under investigation. Unfortunately, this isn't information they collect, but there's a strong case that this needs to change. Suppose that dentists are at increased risk of death by suicide, and the fitness to practise process is a significant contributory factor in this. In that case, the regulator needs to understand it has a duty of care to its registrants as well as the public and make appropriate changes to the investigatory process to ensure registrant safety. Conversely, the data may show that, although the fitness to practise process is undeniably stressful, it has no contribution to the death by suicide of registrants.

But we cannot blame the regulator for all the ills in the profession. Intrinsically, dentistry can be a lonely job, with everyday interactions often only on a professional level. Patients have become increasingly demanding over the years, and the fear of litigation is real. In addition, the trend to post cases on social media, partly for educational purposes and partially to sell your skills, can lead to a feeling of inadequacy compared to masters in their field.

Dentists appear to show much higher levels of suicidal ideation than the general public. Job-related stress, psychological distress and burnout all figure into these numbers, but we are the only ones who can change this. Dentistry needs to become a more supportive profession, moving away from the blame culture that often permeates not only from the GDC but from our own colleagues. High registrant-on-registrant GDC reporting is counterproductive to the profession's health. Colleagues in distress need support, not chastising. If we want dentistry to thrive in the future, dentists and those overseeing dentistry must nurture those practising it.

If you have been affected by the content of this piece, you can reach out to the following support lines: The Dentists' Health Support Trust via 020 7224 4671 and The Samaritans via 116 123.