A Weary Profession? Women Dentists and the Burnout Threat

Burnout is a common theme—one that is prevalent in American workplaces from coast to coast. However, while professionals of all stripes may be feeling the pressure, there is one group that I want to focus on today. High-achieving women dentists are especially maxed out, overwhelmed, and pushing themselves to the brink as they try their hardest to balance work demands, pay attention to family responsibilities, honor financial obligations, stay healthy, and juggle the cultural status quo. Burnout is a serious threat to women operating in this highly-specialized and outright demanding profession. But is there anywhere to turn to for help? And even more importantly, can burnout even be managed?

Women in Dentistry: Addicted to Busyness

How often do you ask someone, “How’s it going?” and know outright that their answer will be, “Great, so busy.” Being busy, these days, is part of our status quo—and all of us wear it like a badge of honor. After all, if you aren’t busy, what, then, are you doing? Keeping busy at all costs appears to be an outright goal, and the focus of our lives. And for women dentists, the pressure is increased. Dentistry, after all, has one of the highest rates of burnout of all professions—and women who operate within this field have increased levels of anxiety, depression, insomnia, stress, and overall dissatisfaction with their professional lives.

Currently, of the 198,000+ dentists working in the United States, approximately 31% of that number are female.  This is an increase of over 10% in the past 15-20 years, which is quite significant. What also deserves some analysis is the distribution of professionally active dentists in the United States by gender. Consider these numbers, which are based on a 2009 study:

·        65 and older: Male 11.9%/Female 1.1%

·        55-64: Male 23.7%/Female 4.9%

·        45-54: Male 32.6%/Female 27.3%

·        35-44: Male 20.8%/Female 39%

·        Under 35: Male 11%/Female 27.6%

Now, before we examine these numbers, consider full- vs. part-time status by gender:

·        Full-time male: 87.1%/Part-time male: 12.9%

·        Full-time female: 76.5%/Part-time female: 23.5%

Firstly, the evidence is clear—female dentists in the United States are younger, generally, than their male colleagues. However, these individuals are less likely to run their own solo practice and are more likely to be employees in a practice or an independent contractor. Only 53% of women dentists compared to 75% of male dentists are solo practitioners—quite a divide when you consider it. What’s more is that women are more likely to work part-time and less likely to put in overtime hours. I’ll give you three guesses on why this is the case, but I can assure you that you will only need one.

Women are more likely than men to have to balance the demands of family life. Having children is one of the main reasons why a woman dentist’s work hours are cut by nearly one workday per week. Being married alone, ultimately, does not seem to be a significant driver in this—but when children are involved, a woman dentist’s professional life is impacted.

Gender, Stress, and Balance

Dentistry aside, there are four noted stages of a woman’s career. These stages are broadly described as:

1.      Early career development

2.      Early 30’s transition

3.      Late 30’s transition—settling down

4.      Achievement and career maintenance

Now, these career stages are not necessarily even gender specific in many regards—but with women, these are pivot points and burnout, especially as it relates to the field of dentistry, has an increased likelihood of appearing at one or sometimes more of these individual pivot points.

In the field of dentistry, many women may enter the workforce later due to the heavy demands of education and what it takes to earn their degree. What’s more is that there may be an inherent and focused drive that is present behind this group of individuals—they are entering their careers later than other professionals who are their age but who operate in different fields. They also may have more school-related debt following them around. Therefore, there is a “bust out of the gates” focus on doing as much as possible, as quickly as possible. Combine that with other major life changes and developments that happen when a woman is in her late 20s or early thirties—namely, getting married and having children—and there you have the recipe for a perfect storm. In this situation, a woman dentist is faced with building and balancing her career, honoring financial obligations and managing debt, ensuring her marriage or relationship with a significant other is healthy, and finding time to raise happy children and guarantee significant attention is paid to them. Just writing that down feels overwhelming—let alone living it in real time. And I haven’t even noted what owning and operating a dental practice can add to that already packed list of responsibilities.

How Can Personal and Professional Success Be Balanced—Without Stepping Away from Dentistry?

Looking back on those numbers that outline the distribution percentage based on age of practicing female vs. male dentists, there is something quite clear present. Women dentists’ numbers drop after the age of 44, by over 10%, which is considerable. That tells me one thing: 44 is the breaking point where a woman dentist may realize that she can’t handle it all; the demands of work, family, children, and everything else finally got to her, and she made the choice to step away.  Compare that even further to the drop off experienced at age 54—over 20%! What is shocking to me is that these are still prime earning years (as exhibited by male participation rates). Women at the age of 54 are still over 10 years away from normal retirement—and they are losing out on considerable financial and career opportunities. 

Ultimately, what this proves to me is that burnout amongst women dentists needs to be managed before an individual simply makes the decision to step away from her professional identity and quit. Here are some stressors to be aware of and actionable tips to consider:

·        The professional image or status of dentistry as a health care profession is a cause of stress to many practitioners. This is especially true of dentists (many of them women) who choose to practice in less than desirable environments or with high-risk/marginalized populations—professional isolation and increased stress tend to be enhanced in this regard. It is recommended that you pursue active membership in local, state, and national organizations that focus on women business owners, women in dentistry and/or medicine, and women entrepreneurial groups.

·        Practice saying no. I know, I know, easier said than done. But really, this is so important. For women dentists—especially if they own their own practice—wearing many hats is common. Throughout a normal day, it is commonplace to operate as CEO, business manager, wife, mother, negotiator, therapist, financial manager, and above all, “Dental Expert in Chief.” A woman dentist pushes harder and harder, continually driving forward to meet all her goals and address all of her commitments—but then, other issues creep in, i.e. lack of sleep, anxiety, the inability to relax. What this points to is the need—the absolute importance—of prioritization and saying, “No, I can’t do that.” While “can’t” might seem like a foreign word to you, it’s okay to become more selfish. If you are swamped with all of the demands of your life, burnout is going to be inevitable. 

·        Consult with a mentor. Carve out a chunk of time to speak with someone who has been professionally meaningful in your life; for instance, a former advisor from dental school, an older woman dentist you know through networking, even possibly a woman business productivity or career coach (if you are in the position where you are not the contemporary of other women dentists). Speak with this person about clarifying goals, outlining your values, and discussing professional and personal choices. Of course, partnering with someone who has been through the same situation as you is probably most valuable—and there is definitely a huge benefit to piggybacking off the experience of another woman dentist as you strategize on professional growth, identify drivers for success in your chosen profession, and realize improved work/life balance.

·        Understand financial commitments and their relation to your short- and long-term goals. Regularly assess your financial standing and the economics of your practice—be it as a solo practitioner, employee, or independent contractor. Take a look at your debt, your income, your business overhead, your liabilities, and your assets and get a clear picture of how all of these things fit into the larger picture of your professional and personal life. However, also keep in mind that you got into dentistry to serve your patients and better their health—and not necessarily be a business expert and financial guru. I strongly encourage you to partner with a financial pro who understands the challenges you face as a woman dentist, has the capability of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with you as you define your goals, and create a financial roadmap that not only mitigates the risk of burnout but also allows you to realize true achievement in your professional career.

As a financial advisor who partners specifically with high-achieving professionals operating within the medical and dental fields, I would be happy to speak with you about reaching your professional goals while feeling more fulfilled in your personal life. I invited you to contact me for a no-commitment consultation by calling 980-235-7885 or emailing vholloway@cplanning.com.

Bio:

Victor Holloway is Founding Partner of The Medicus Group, a financial planning and wealth management firm exclusively servicing physicians and dentists. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, The Medicus Group addresses the needs of clients nationwide. Victor invites you to learn more about his firm by calling (980) 235-7885 or visiting www.mymedicusgroup.com.