Dental professionals can face a number of challenges that can lead to burnout during their careers.
Joseph Graskemper, DDS, is the owner of The Bellport (N.Y.) Village Dentist. He recently spoke with Becker's about how burnout is affecting dentists.
Editor's note: This response was lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: How is burnout affecting the dental industry?
Dr. Joseph Graskemper: Burnout is like a cancer in that you do not know you have it until you are well into a burnout phase. It is silent and unnoticeable until it takes hold of you. The core of burnout is emotional exhaustion. It may be a result of your workload and demands, constrained resources and a lack of interpersonal support. Due to the high level of expectations by patients to the level of provider infallibility, burnout affects many more than the numbers show. In my book, "Leadership and Communication in Dentistry," I show how to recognize burnout, how to deal with burnout and how to maintain a necessary balance of life to prevent burnout by following the seven Fs: Family, Friends, Finances, Fitness, Formation, Fun and Faith.