A simple screening tool for occupational burnout among dentists.

BACKGROUND: Nearly 40% of US physicians experience occupational burnout. The actual prevalence rate of burnout among US dentists remains unknown. The authors examined a simplified 2-item burnout screening tool based on the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) to identify possible occupational burnout among dentists. METHODS: Data were obtained from a survey of pediatric dentists (n = 540) in the United States. The full MBI items from the data set were used to determine and categorize emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Responses to 2 MBI items, 1 for emotional exhaustion and 1 for depersonalization, were analyzed separately and risk of experiencing high MBI emotional exhaustion and depersonalization was calculated using all subscale items for these 2 burnout dimensions. Spearman correlations were used to compare responses to the 2 MBI items and MBI emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. RESULTS: Based on frequency of at least once per week, 18% of respondents had positive response to MBI item "I feel burned out from my work" and had high MBI emotional exhaustion, and 9% had positive response to MBI item "I have become more callous toward people since I took this job" along with high MBI depersonalization. The risk of experiencing the burnout dimensions of high emotional exhaustion and depersonalization increased with positive frequency score for the respective MBI items. There were strong positive correlations between responses to the 2 MBI items and emotional exhaustion and depersonalization scores, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A simple 2-item burnout screening tool can be used to identify potential occupational burnout among dentists. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Improving awareness about occupational burnout can help mitigate its detrimental consequences.

Occupational burnout and depression among paediatric dentists in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Paediatric dentists in the United States may be at greater risk for occupational burnout and/or depression because of chronic stress associated with provision of paediatric dental care and increasing prevalence of females in the workforce. AIMS: To determine the prevalence of occupational burnout and/or depression among US paediatric dentists. DESIGN: A self-administered online anonymous survey was sent to members of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (n = 4735). The questionnaire consisted of seven demographic items, 22 items of Maslach Burnout Inventory (Three subscales: Emotional exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal accomplishment), and eight items of Patient Health Questionnaire-8. RESULTS: The survey had a response rate of 11.4% (females = 53%). Twenty-three per cent of respondents had high emotional exhaustion while fewer respondents had high depersonalization (12%) or low personal accomplishment (10%). Nine per cent fulfilled the study's definition of occupational burnout (high emotional exhaustion + high depersonalization). Seven per cent of respondents had moderate-to-severe depression and showed significant correlations (P < .05) with high emotional exhaustion, high depersonalization and low personal accomplishment. Two out of five respondents with occupational burnout also had moderate-to-severe depression. There were no gender differences in prevalence of burnout or depression. CONCLUSIONS: Few paediatric dentists had occupational burnout and/or depression.