Dental practice owners and DSO leaders are looking for new ways to prevent, recognize and address burnout among employees in order to support staff and drive continuous success.
Barry Lyon, DDS, the dental director for Main Street Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics and the chief clinical auditor for Dental Care Alliance, connected with Becker’s to discuss how burnout affects practices and the best ways to address it.
Editor’s note: This Q&A is part of a weekly series featuring Dr. Lyon focused on topics in the dental industry and DSO field. The views expressed are those of Dr. Lyon and do not necessarily reflect those of Main Street Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics or Dental Care Alliance.
This response was lightly edited for clarity and length.
Dr. Barry Lyon:
Between all the metrics, KPIs, and the reams of analytics we’re faced with, recognizing stress in our providers may go unnoticed. In an 2021 American Dental Association survey of 20,000 dentists, 16% reported anxiety, more than three times the percentage reported in 2003. Additionally, 13% reported depression. Often, stress is not recognized until the damage has been done.
Stress does not only affect the dentist, it affects the entire office. The team’s dynamics, behaviors and overall performance can suffer, risking poor clinical judgment and improper care. If for no other reason, supporting patient safety necessitates recognizing and dealing with team stress.
Fortunately, or unfortunately as the case may be, stress and burnout are easily observable. Emotional changes include irritability, anger, isolation, reduced empathy, increased absenteeism and loss of motivation. Physical symptoms include fatigue, exhaustion, tension headaches, muscle pain, fluctuating appetite and a reliance on unhealthy coping mechanisms.
Although there’s no magic wand to wave, there are strategies for mitigating a stressed-out dental office. Schedule office meetings to deal with issues, have one-on-one meetings with those appearing most affected, allow flexible scheduling, extend lunch hours and offer access to employee assistance programs.
As uncomfortable as it may be, openly addressing the causes of team members’ stress and adopting corrective measures will benefit both team members and patients.
