Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

A survey of stress, burnout and well-being in UK dentists

Key Points

  • Shows that high levels of self-reported stress and burnout were found in UK dentists.

  • Highlights that the top stressors reported by UK dentists relate to regulation, with fear of litigation reported as the most stressful aspect of practising dentistry.

  • Suggests future interventions should not solely focus on individual solutions such as stress management, but also look at global solutions such as changing aspects of the working environment.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6: Mean well-being scores for all dentists and the UK general population.
Figure 7
Figure 8
Figure 9

References

  1. Kay E J, Lowe J C . A survey of stress levels, self-perceived health and health-related behaviours of UK dental practitioners in 2005. Br Dent J 2008; 204: 19–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Myers H L, Myers L B . 'It's difficult being a dentist': stress and health in the general dental practitioner. Br Dent J 2004; 197: 89–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Maslach C, Leiter M, Schaufeli W B . Measuring burnout. In Cooper, C L, Cartwright S. (editors) The Oxford Handbook of Organizational Well-being. pp. 86–108. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Peterson U, Demerouti E, Bergstrom G, Asberg M, Nygren A . Work characteristics and sickness absence in burnout and nonburnout groups: A study of Swedish healthcare workers. Int J Stress Manag 2008; 15: 153–172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Denton D A, Newton J T, Bower E J . Occupational burnout and work engagement: a national survey of dentists in the United Kingdom. Br Dent J 2008; 205: 382–383.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Baldwin P, Dodd M, Rennie J . Young dentists-work, wealth and happiness. Br Dent J 1999; 186: 42–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Imo U O . Burnout and psychiatric morbidity among doctors in the UK: a systematic literature review of prevalence and associated factors. B J Psych Bulletin 2016; 41: 197–204.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Kemp M, Edwards H . Is there a well-being gap among UK dentists? British Dental Association. 2015. Available at www.bda.org/dentists/policy-campaigns/research/workforce-finance/gp/Documents/Dentists%27%20well-being%20%20report.pdf (accessed June 2018).

  9. Health and Safety Executive. Work-related Stress, Depression or Anxiety Statistics in Great Britain 2017.

  10. Health and Safety Executive. Supplementary analysis to costs for Britain for Britain data: using existing ill-health appraisal values to estimate illustrative costs of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and stress. 2016. Available at http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/adhoc-analysis/esau-costs-to-britain-supplementary.pdf?pdf=esau-costs-to-britain-supplementary (accessed July 2018).

  11. Gorter R C, Eijkman M A, Hoogstraten J . Burnout and health among Dutch dentists. Eur J Oral Sci 2000; 108: 261–267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Cooper C L, Watts J, Baglioni Jr A. J, Kelly M . Occupational stress among general practice dentists. J Occup Psychol 1988; 61: 163–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Harris R, Burnside G, Ashcroft A, Grieveson B . Job satisfaction of dental practitioners before and after a change in incentives and governance: a longitudinal study. Br Dent J 2009; 207: 74–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Hancocks S . Defensive Dentistry. Br Dent J 2014; 217: 327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Larbie J, Kemp M, Whitehead P . The mental health and well-being of UK dentists: A qualitative study. British Dental Association. 2017. Available at https://www.bda.org/dentists/policy-campaigns/research/workforce-finance/Dentists%20well-being%20and%20work-related%20stress/dmhb/Documents/The%20Mental%20Health%20and%20Well-being%20of%20UK%20Dentists%20A%20Qualitative%20Study%20Final.pdf (accessed May 2018).

  16. General Dental Council. Annual Registrant Survey 2013. Available at https://www.gdcuk.org/api/files/GDC%20Annual%20Survey%20of%20Registrants%202013.pdf (accessed June 2018).

  17. Houdmont J, Cox T, Griffiths A . Work-related stress case definitions and prevalence rates in national surveys. Occup Med 2010; 60: 658–661.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Shirom A, Melamed S . A comparison of the construct validity of two burnout measures in two groups of professionals. Int J Stress Manag 2006; 13: 176–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Demerouti E, Mostert K, Bakker A B . Burnout and work engagement: A thorough investigation of the independency of both constructs. J Occup Health Psychol 2010; 15: 209–222.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Taris T W, Van Horn J E, Schaufeli W B, Schreurs P J . Inequity, burnout and psychological withdrawal among teachers: A dynamic exchange model. Anxiety Stress Coping 2004; 17: 103–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Barkham M, Mellor-Clark J, Connell J, Cahill J . A core approach to practice-based evidence: A brief history of the origins and applications of the CORE-OM and CORE system. Couns Psychother Res 2006; 6: 3–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Office of National Statistics. Personal Well-being User Guidance. 2016. Available at www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/methodologies/personalwellbeingsurveyuserguide (accessed June 2018).

  23. Braun V, Clarke V . Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qual Res Psychol 2006; 3: 77–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Sinclair A, Barkham M, Evans C, Connell J, Audin K . Rationale and development of a general population well-being measure: Psychometric status of the GP-CORE in a student sample. Br J Guid Counc 2005; 33: 153–179.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Fritschi L, Morrison D, Sirangi A, Day L . Psychological well-being of Australian veterinarians. Aust Vet J 2009; 87: 76–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Office of National Statistics. Statistical Bulletin: Personal Well-being in the UK: January to December 2017. Available at www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/bulletins/measuringnationalwellbeing/januarytodecember2017 (accessed May 2018).

  27. Office of National Statistics. Statistical Bulletin: Adult drinking habits in Great Britain 2017. Available at www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/drugusealcoholandsmoking/bulletins/opinionsandlifestylesurveyadultdrinkinghabitsingreatbritain/2017 (accessed July 2018).

  28. Kay E J, Scarrott D M . A survey of dental professionals' health and well-being. Br Dent J 1997; 193: 340–345.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. McManus S, Bebbington P, Jenkins R, Brugha T . Mental health and wellbeing in England: Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2014. Leeds: NHS Digital, 2016.

  30. Nock M K, Borges G, Bromet E, Cha C B, Kessler R C, Lee S . Suicide and suicidal behaviour. Epidemio Rev 2008; 30: 133–154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Kessler R C, Borges G, Walters E . Prevalence of and risk factors for lifetime suicide attempts on the national comorbidity survey. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1999; 56: 617–626.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Sareen J, Cox B J, Afif, T O et al. Anxiety disorders and risk for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts: a population-based longitudinal study of adults. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2005; 62: 1249–1257.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. van der Heijden F, Dillingh, G, Bakker A, Prins J . Suicidal thought among medical residents with burnout. Arch Suicide Res 2008; 12: 344–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Nock M K, Borges G, Bromet E J et al. Cross-national prevalence and risk factors for suicidal ideation, plans and attempts. Br J Psychiatry 2008; 192: 98–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. DiMatteo M A, Shugars D A, Hays R D . Occupational stress, life stress and mental health among dentists. J Occup Organ Psychol 1993; 66: 153–162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Smith A, Johal S, Wadsworth E, Davey Smith G, Peters T . The Scale of Occupational Stress: The Bristol Stress and Health at Work Study. Health and Safety Executive, 2000. Contract Research Report 265/2000.

  37. Zucoloto M L, Maroco J, Campos J A D B . Dentistry teachers and the burnout syndrome. Braz Dent Sci 2012; 15: 61–67.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Dodu N . Is employment good for well-being? a literature review. J Occup Psychol Employ Dis 2005; 7: 17–33.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Murray M, Murray L, Donnelley M . Systematic review of interventions to improve the psychological well-being of general practitioners. BMC Fam Prac 2016; 17: 1–14.

  40. Shanafelt T D, Noseworthy J H . Executive leadership and physician well-being: Nine organizational strategies to promote engagement and reduce burnout. Mayo Clin Proc 2017; 92: 129–146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Massey D S, Tourangeau R . Where do we go from here? Nonresponse and social measurement. Ann Am Acad Politic Soc Sci 2013; 645: 222–236.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Singh P, Aulak D S, Mangat S S, Aulak M S . Systematic review: factors contributing to burnout in dentistry. Occup Med 2016; 66: 27–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Cheung K L, ten Klooster P M, Smit C, de Vries H, Pierterse M E . The impact of non-response bias due to sampling in public health studies: A comparison of mandatory recruitment in a Dutch national survey on adolescent health. BMC Pub Health 2017; 17: 276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Creedy, DK, Sidebotham M, Gamble J, Pallant J, Fewick J . Prevalence of burnout, depression, anxiety and stress in Australian midwives: a cross-sectional survey. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2017; 17: 13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Kerr R, McHugh M, McCrory M . HSE Managements and standards and stress-related stress outcomes. Occup Med 2009; 59: 574–579.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. General Dental Council. Annual Report and Accounts 2017. Available at www.gdc-uk.org/api/files/GDC_Annual_Report_2017.pdf (accessed June 2018).

  47. Demerouti E, Bakker A B, Vardakou I, Kantas A . The convergent validity of two burnout instruments. Eur J Psychol Assess 2003; 19: 12–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Thank you to the BDA Trust and the Shirley Glasstone Hughes Trust for funding this research, and all of those who participated.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to V. Collin.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Collin, V., Toon, M., O'Selmo, E. et al. A survey of stress, burnout and well-being in UK dentists. Br Dent J 226, 40–49 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2019.6

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2019.6

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links