According to a 2015 study by the American Dental Association (ADA), 75% of dentists experience stress on the job. Keep reading to learn how to manage and reduce workplace stress using mindfulness, self-care, and social support.

1. Learn To Identify Good and Bad Stress

The word “stress” has a negative connotation that’s somewhat unwarranted. Not all stress is bad. Occasional short-term challenges can keep you energized, motivate you to set and achieve goals, and boost your professional performance. According to some studies, good stress may even have health benefits. 

Chronic stress, on the other hand, is bad for you — even if it’s moderate. Over time, this type of stress can wear you out both physically and mentally, resulting in anxiety, decreased performance, poor concentration, and more.

As dentists are at a higher risk of experiencing workplace stress than the average professional, it’s essential to learn to identify good and bad stress. That will enable you to take measures to nip negative stress in the bud and use positive stress to develop as a professional and grow your dental practice. Common symptoms of chronic stress include:

• Fatigue 
• Headaches
• Body aches
• Digestive issues 
• Hypertension 
• Hyperventilation 
• Rapid heartbeat
• Shallow or rapid breathing
• Appetite changes
• Sleep disturbances
• Irritability or mood swings
• Anxiety 
• Depression 

2. Make Self-Care Non-Negotiable

In your line of work, self-care isn’t optional. It’s imperative that you set aside time to recharge your batteries daily. Otherwise, there may be negative consequences not just for you but for your patients as well.

The good news is that many self-care practices can fit seamlessly into your busy schedule. Even something as simple as not skipping lunch breaks or doing short breathing and mindfulness exercises between appointments can be very beneficial for your physical and mental health.

Other potential self-care strategies you may want to explore include:

• Exercising
• Dancing
• Meditating 
• Getting massages
• Engaging in hobbies or creative pursuits 
• Socializing with friends and family
• Going on trips
• Spending time in nature
• Building a regular spiritual practice

The only limit is your imagination. Any activity that improves your physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual health — other than spacing out in front of the TV or mindlessly scrolling your social media feeds — can help decrease your overall stress and make you more resilient.

3. Set Healthy Boundaries With Patients

Patients and dentist-patient relationships are significant sources of stress in dentistry. No matter how friendly you and your staff may be, some people still won’t enjoy their visits to your office. Patients are often anxious, upset, scared, or in pain, and these negative emotions can easily spill over to you without you even realizing it.

It’s essential that you learn not to internalize patient anxiety, especially if you are a highly sensitive or empathetic person. You can sympathize with patients without empathizing with them.

One way to do that is by assuming an active role in the process and helping people through their anxiety instead of feeling it with them. For instance, the ADA recommends using guided breathing exercises to help patients relax.

4. Build a Robust Support Network

Social support is critical for improving our resilience to stress. In addition to bonding with the people in your personal life, consider investing time and effort into your work relationships as well. Connecting with people who are going through similar challenges can help validate your emotions and make the experience less stressful overall. 

One of the best ways to build rapport within your team is to improve dental office communication. Modern technologies like our dental practice communication system can be of great help in this regard. You can use our software solutions to:

• Start individual and group chats
• Receive notifications about unread messages on your phone
• Streamline collaboration between staff members
• Manage schedule changes and plan your day in real time
• Create a better patient handoff experience
• Keep the entire team in the loop

Reduce Stress in Dentistry With Dental Intelligence

At Dental Intelligence, we understand that efficient collaboration and good interpersonal relationships are critical for a successful, stress-free dental practice. That’s why we designed our dental practice communication system to help you drastically improve team rapport and interactions.

Don’t take our word for it. Contact us today to schedule a free demo to see the system in action and get more communication tips for improved dental team performance.