World Mental Health Day is celebrated every year on 10 October to draw attention to the importance of mental health. The theme this year is workplace mental health, highlighting the importance of addressing mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. Because this brings important benefits, not only for individuals, but for workplaces, organisations and the broader community.
We undertook research in 2021 in partnership with Professor Gordon Parker from the
Black
Dog Institute, and found 1 in 4 dental practitioners were experiencing symptoms consistent with
burnout, 1 in 10 had a current diagnosis of depression or anxiety disorder and 1 in 3 had moderate/severe
psychological distress,
and 1 in 6 had
recent thoughts
of suicide.
It was clear that there was a need for solutions-oriented call to action across the dental profession to draw attention to burnout and mental health, and to look at interventions that focus on improving wellbeing. Although there is an abundance of resources and support available to members of the dental team, it lacks coordination and a central point of focus, and much of it is not specifically targeted to dental practitioners and their teams.
That is why we started Mindful Smiles to be the leading voice for mental health and wellbeing for members of the dental team in Australia. The
Mindful Smiles Hub is a free online resource focusing on the mental health and wellbeing of Australian dental practitioners. Our work is to collate information, contextualise it for the dental team, make it readily available, raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing and work to reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues.
These resources are freely available to all members of the dental team. They include links to free and confidential self-assessment tests so that you can check-in on your own mental health and wellbeing.
There is still a significant stigma associated with mental health, and a reluctance for many to discuss their struggles, particularly in the workplace. This is a situation that has to change.
Visit the
Mindful Smiles Hub,
or follow on
Instagram
(@mindful.smiles),
Facebook
or
LinkedIn, and sign up to the weekly newsletter for helpful tips and information to manage your mental health and wellbeing.
