Professional burnout among Dutch dentists

Abstract

– Professional burnout, a long‐term consequence of occupational stress, is considered to be a factor that explains a substantial proportion of incapacity for work. Burnout is defined as emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and diminished personal accomplishment. Aims: To investigate levels of burnout among Dutch practising dentists, to compare dentists' scores with norm scores, and to determine the percentage of dentists “at risk”. Methods: The instrument used was the Dutch version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI‐NL), a 20‐item modified version of the original MBI. A highly representative group of Dutch dentists participated (n=709, 75% response rate). Results: Mean levels (and standard deviations) of burnout were: emotional exhaustion 13.7 (8.6); depersonalization 5.9 (3.9); personal accomplishment 30.8 (5.9). Dentists had more favourable means compared with standard scores, although in the 95th percentile dentists showed more emotional exhaustion than standards indicate. While no overall sex differences were found, male middle‐aged dentists tended to show more burnout. Of the working Dutch dentists, 21% had a certain risk, 13% had high overall levels of burnout, and 2.5% were highly burned out. Conclusion: It is concluded that Dutch dentists have relatively favourable mean levels of burnout, but those who are exhausted are extremely exhausted. The male dentist in his forties appears to be most vulnerable to burnout.

Occupational burnout and work engagement: a national survey of dentists in the United Kingdom

“…Approximately 42% of the dentists surveyed were in the highest category of emotional exhaustion. This contrasts markedly with the survey of Gorter et al, 15 where 18% of their sample were in the 'high' or 'very high' category for emotional exhaustion.…”

“…The difference in depersonalisation disappeared when controlling for working hours and age. Gender differences were not reported by Osborne and Croucher 24 or Gorter et al 15 Dentists who had been qualifi ed longer had lower levels of depersonalisation, a fi nding shared by Osborne and Croucher. 24 In contrast, Gorter et al 15 identifi ed higher levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation in dentists aged 40-54, whereas analysis of personal accomplishment identifi ed dentists under 30 as having more unfavourable scores.…”

“…The calculation of the original sample size was based on a response rate of 75%, which other studies of a similar design and subject had achieved. 15,24 It was also noted that responders and non-responders differed in their years since qualifi cation so there may be some non-response bias, but it is unclear how this will have affected the fi ndings. The current study measured burnout and work engagement on working individuals and as such it is possible that it ignored the population of dentists who are in effect so burned out that they are no longer working.…”

“…Thirteen percent of Dutch dentists 15 and 11% of GDPs in the South East of England 24 were found to have high levels of burnout in all three domains. Caution should be exercised in comparing these studies.…”

“…The most recent European study of burnout in dentists that used a representative sample 15 identifi ed 13% to be in the high burnout category. There has never been a study measuring burnout in a representative sample of dentists in the United Kingdom.…”