Dentists' Mental Health Affects Patient Care
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- Published: Wednesday, 25 June 2025 08:16
- Written by Guy Tuggle
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Research by indemnity provider Dental Protection has revealed that many dental professionals are experiencing mental health issues. Worryingly, they feel unable to take time off to address them and fear they are compromising the quality of care they deliver.
Almost eight in ten dental professionals in the UK (76%) say they have gone to work or continued to work despite their mental health suffering.
In the Dental Protection survey of more than 1,600 dental professionals in the UK – including dentists, dental nurses, hygienists and therapists – two thirds (66%) said they feel guilty if they take time off due to mental wellbeing issues.
Almost half of the respondents (49%) said they feel they should keep working even when their mental health is suffering, and a similar number (47%) said there was nobody else to cover for them if they did not attend.
Over half (56%) cited financial reasons for continuing to work, while a third (33%) said it was due to the pressure to meet demand for NHS appointments, and the target driven culture.
Dental professionals who took part said working while their mental health is suffering had led to a loss of concentration (56%), a lack of empathy with patients (46%) and being more fearful of making mistakes (46%). Around a third (34%) suspected it may have contributed to a lower standard of care. 29% said there had been no effect on patients.
Respondents to the survey were guaranteed anonymity and this encouraged them to submit frank replies. Many of these not only make for highly disturbing reading, they are likely to reflect behaviours all too many in the profession will recognise.
“I care about my patients and really try to do my best by them, but I push myself and my wellbeing to the side to try to do this. I end up feeling overwhelmed and burst into tears between appointments, but often feel like I’ve no choice but to keep pushing forward. I’m scared of doing something wrong” one respondent said.
Another wrote “There are always negative comments from patients if you have to cancel even if it is from sickness. There is also the financial impact of no sick pay and targets to hit.”
Although not about NHS versus private practice pressures, many replies suggested that NHS dentists carried a heavier burden.
The pressure of targets and a fear of triggering complaints from patients who may have waited a considerable time was a common theme, reflecting the toxicity of the NHS dental contract and the waiting times caused by the shortage of NHS dentists.
“Because access is so difficult, if patients are cancelled, there is a long wait to get them booked back in again. Then if you are frequently unwell, patients get cancelled multiple times which can lead to complaints and more stress so you feel it is better to go in and see them to avoid a spiralling effect.”
Yvonne Shaw, Deputy Dental Director at Dental Protection (pictured) said: “It does not surprise me that dental professionals put their patients’ interests above their own.
“It is however distressing that such a large proportion of colleagues say they are continuing to work despite not feeling mentally well enough to do so. The reasons cited highlight the pressures of delivering care and unrelenting demands of managing patient backlogs and meeting targets, alongside financial pressures and lack of cover.
“The current pressures are unsustainable and dental professionals must feel able to take time off to recuperate or seek support. We see the impact of burn-out and the sad reality of colleagues having to take extended time off work, or even leaving dentistry altogether. Alongside this, working when our mental health is suffering can adversely impact the delivery of patient care which those taking part in our survey have shared.
Ms Shaw added that Dental Protection offers round the clock counselling for its members and GDPUK urges all in the profession to check what help they might have in place.
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