ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of stress and burnout among dental practitioners of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. It was a cross-sectional study and was conducted in six dental institutes of Rawalpindi and Islamabad from February to March 2012. A self-administered questionnaire, containing 10 item version of Perceived Stress Scale [PSS], 22 item Maslach Burnout Inventory Survey [MBI] and socio-demographic data were used to determine the prevalence of stress and burnout among dentists. Out of 150 dentists 129 completed their questionnaire with a response rate of 86%. Among them 24 [18.6%] dentists were specialists while 105 [81.4%] did not have any post-graduation qualification. Fifty dentists [38.8%] were found to be severely stressed, 53 [41.1%] were moderately stressed while 26 [20.2%] were not stressed at all. Mean PSS score reported was higher than average [17.8 + 6.2]. On MBI, 61 dentists showed moderate or high emotional exhaustion [18.6%], 56 showed moderate or high depersonalization [43.4%] and 41 showed low personal accomplishment [31.8%]. Mean scores of emotional exhaustion [17.8+11.2], depersonalization [6.1+5.9] and reduced personal accomplishment [34.2 + 9.7] were in moderate ranges. Female dentists and dentists working less than 40 hours per week had lower levels of burnout [lesser depersonalization score, p < 0.05]. Dental practitioners working in institutes of Rawalpindi and Islamabad were subjected to various levels of stress and burnout. Future research needs to focus on its underlying reasons and on stress coping strategies