Considered one of the unluckiest days of the year, Friday the 13th can make even the most rational, logical individuals superstitious. To mark today, DrBicuspid.com asked dentists to share what stresses them out about dentistry.
From staffing and burnout to technology, dentists are worried about a lot.
Dr. Richard Nejat, the owner of Laser Smile Solutions in New York and New Jersey, told DrBicuspid that the biggest concern right now is the growing gap between preventive dental care and patient access to it.
Dr. Richard Nejat.Advanced Periodontics & Implant Dentistry.
“We’re seeing more patients delaying routine visits due to cost, insurance limitations, or busy schedules, and, unfortunately, that often means problems like gum disease or tooth decay are diagnosed much later than they should be,” Nejat said.
Another stressor for clinicians is the rapid pace of technological change in dentistry, Nejat said.
“While innovations like digital implant planning, AI (artificial intelligence) diagnostics, and guided surgery are incredibly exciting, practices also face pressure to adopt new systems while managing rising operational costs,” Nejat said.
Dr. Robert Kerstein.Robert B. Kerstein, DMD.
Dr. Robert Kerstein, a computerized bite analysis expert, told DrBicuspid that dentistry’s slow adoption of better diagnostic tools is genuinely anxiety-inducing.
“What’s stressful is that despite strong clinical evidence and a growing understanding that oral health is closely tied to whole-body wellness, many practices still rely on legacy tools simply out of habit or assumptions about what does or does not count as valid data,” Kerstein said.
“… When dentistry leans more into objective data and modern diagnostics, both practitioners and patients can feel much more confident about the care being delivered and feel the relief that a healthy bite gives them,” he said.
Dr. Arun Narang, of Smile By Design Dental, told DrBicuspid the most stressful thing in dentistry right now is misinformation and increasing patient anxiety.
“The ease of access to content on social media, as well as the recent rise in AI-generated content, has made obtaining some sort of dental advice in the form of content extremely easy,” Narang said. “Unfortunately, obtaining the correct advice has not been as easy. Because of the misinformation, patients come in and express concern for a procedure they do not understand or have anxiety about what they falsely perceive to be a worst-case scenario. This scenario has made building trust and adequately preparing patients for what is about to happen extremely important.”
Dr. Arun Narang.Smile by Design.
Staffing and burnout also continue to be a concern, Narang said.
“Dentistry is mentally exhausting and physically demanding,” Narang said. “Like the rest of the healthcare field, we are working with a dwindling labor force. The level of care that we are expected to provide does not level out with the resources that are available to the healthcare field. Finding that balance of working with the staff available to you and working with the patients in a compassionate manner while still providing the care that is expected from you can be extremely difficult,” he said.
Dr. Tom Hardenbergh.Meadow Hills Dental.
Dr. Tom Hardenbergh, the owner of Meadow Hills Dental in Colorado, told DrBicuspid that his biggest concern is patients who have major dental problems because they waited too long to see a dentist.
“A simple $200 filling can escalate to a $2,000 root canal and crown just because someone waits a couple of years to get the problem fixed,” Hardenbergh said.
The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.
