Burnout in dentistry and its silent impact. A literature review

Burnout syndrome has been increasingly recognized as a significant occupational health concern in healthcare professions. Dentists face unique stressors including close patient contact, precision-demanding procedures, and often isolated working conditions.

To systematically review the prevalence of burnout syndrome among dentists internationally and in Spain, and to identify associated risk factors.

A systematic literature review was conducted in four electronic databases for studies published from January 1982 and December 2023. Studies were included if they assessed burnout in dentists using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), had sample sizes ≥ 30 participants, and provided quantitative prevalence data.

A total of nineteen cross-sectional studies (reported in twenty publications) from thirteen countries across four continents were included. Burnout prevalence ranged from 3.4% to 41.4%, with significant geographic and methodological variability. Emotional exhaustion was the most frequently affected dimension (range: 20-61.3%). Interpretation of prevalence estimates is limited by substantial heterogeneity in burnout definitions and MBI cut-off criteria across studies. Key risk factors included high workload, lack of postgraduate training, private practice setting, insufficient organizational support, and female gender in some contexts.

Burnout affects a substantial proportion of dentists worldwide, although reported prevalence varies widely depending on the definitions and cut-off criteria used. Evidence suggests that burnout in dentistry has a multifactorial etiology involving occupational, organizational, and individual factors. Importantly, the literature indicates potential implications for patient safety, as burnout-particularly emotional exhaustion-has been associated with self-reported clinical errors. Despite the growing body of observational research, there is a notable lack of studies evaluating preventive or therapeutic interventions, highlighting an important priority for future research.

Burnout is a prevalent occupational risk among dentists worldwide, affecting clinical performance, wellbeing, and patient care. Despite its impact, preventive strategies are scarcely studied. Highlighting key risk factors and regional variability emphasizes the urgent need for evidence-based interventions and preventive programs within dental practice and education.