Younger dentists more likely to be distressed, struggling

Younger age groups of dentists have the highest percentages of members who are distressed or struggling when compared with older groups, according to the 2024-2025 State of Well-Being Report.

The report is compiled each year based on results from the Well-Being Index. The index is an anonymous, validated self-assessment tool developed by Mayo Clinic that measures multiple dimensions of clinician distress and well-being, including burnout, fatigue and quality of life.

Dentists who are distressed or struggling are more at risk for burnout, severe fatigue, below-average job performance, medical error, turnover, suicidal ideation and poor overall quality of life, according to the index. ADA member dentists and dental students have free access to the index at ADA.org/wellness.