Burnout rate among dental professionals post COVID-19 at one academic dental institution

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the healthcare profession worldwide. Frontline healthcare workers have experienced increased personal and occupational stress related to burnout, depression, and anxiety. The long-term effects of burnout, anxiety and mental suffering may lead to social isolation, substance abuse and behavioral changes. The goal of this study is to assess the self-reported levels of burnout and institutional support among dental students, residents, faculty and staff at the University of California, San Francisco in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A 15-minutes short survey questionnaire was distributed to all dental students, dental residents, dental faculty, and staff through Qualtrics^® online survey tool. Out of 109 participants, 108 individuals completed the survey during September 2023. This study was approved by the university's institutional review board (IRB # 23-39814). After demographic information, institutional support information was collected, the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) was used to assess personal and work-related burnout.

During the period of the study there were 109 participants. We found that most professionals rated institutional support as Good. The CBI subscale scores revealed that both personal and work-related burnout were prevalent among study participants. A total of 108 dental professionals at UCSF completed a 21-item questionnaire assessing the impact of COVID-19 on wellbeing and burnout, with 55.56% (n = 60) reporting changes in their work-related wellbeing. Based on the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, 37.74% (n = 40) reported moderate, 8.49% (n = 9) high, and 1.89% (n = 2) severe personal burnout, while 38.68% (n = 41) experienced moderate and 14.15% (n = 15) high or severe work-related burnout.

Our study findings emphasize the need for proactive measures to address burnout and support the well-being of dental students, faculty, and staff.

The findings suggest that dental institutions should implement targeted support systems and mental health resources to address burnout among dental professionals effectively. By fostering a supportive environment, institutions can improve both professional well-being and patient care quality.