Speakers - 2026

Title: Preventing dental provider burnout

Abstract

Dental provider burnout is a significant issue characterized by emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and a reduced sense of accomplishment, stemming from a combination of professional stressors and personal factors. High levels of stress are linked to factors like student debt, insurance reimbursement challenges, professional isolation, and long hours, while the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated issues like staff shortages and childcare difficulties. This presentation will explore the causes of dental provider burnout, and provide concrete, evidence-based strategies, including establishing boundaries, self-care, seeking peer support, and practice management strategies, to reduce mental load.

Audience take away from presentation:

• Causes of dental provider burnout
• Most recent published research on burnout in dentistry
• 10+ evidence-based strategies for providers to implement now to care for themselves and their practice members.
• Strategies that will enhance career enjoyment, income generation, work-life balance, and career longevity.