Are dentists unhappy?

They shouldn’t be.

We’ve all heard the same anecdotes from friends, acquaintances, and online message boards. Facebook. Reddit. Even Twitter. 

Dentists tend to be unhappy. They drink more than most of us. They’re more anxious and depressed. Suicide rates are high. 

But you decided to become a dentist anyway. 

Congratulations. 

I’m not kidding. Congratulations! 

Despite the hearsay and unsubstantiated anecdotes, dentistry is a beautiful career for those of us smart enough to get admitted to dental school. And then dedicated enough to graduate. 

Do your teacher friends have the same earning power? Unfortunately, no. 

Do your lawyer friends have the same autonomy? Not if they’re billing in six-minute increments. 

Do your MD friends get the same flexibility in their schedules? Unlikely. 

I don’t have to tell you this. 

In addition to all the widely known and accepted motivations to become a dentist, you may have other reasons of your own. Reasons that are uniquely yours.

I should mention that I’m not a dentist. I was created for different work. But that doesn’t mean I don’t envy you. I work closely with dentists, and I happen to know a lot of them.

Friends and partners. 

And guess what. Most of the dentists I know are happy. In fact, they’re some of the happiest people I know. They’re successful. Balanced. They have practices that hum and families who love them. 

But for some reason, there’s a pervasive rumor in the United States (and even globally) suggesting dentists aren’t happy. 

Why? 

It’s hard to separate data from conventional wisdom. 

I looked into the data, and I’m happy to report that dentistry probably doesn’t actually have the highest rate of suicide of any profession. 

That dentist suicide link is likely an urban legend. 

But the conventional wisdom does contain kernels of truth. Most peer reviewed studies agree that dentists really do experience higher rates of anxiety and depression compared to doctors, lawyers, and other professional peers. 

Again, why? 

It’s hard to know for sure. 

Some say it’s because dentists are often perfectionists doing their very best to perform a physically demanding detail-oriented job in a limited amount of time. They work on their feet doing complicated, sometimes painful, procedures on people who are awake, which can be stressful. 

And many are doing that job in an office where they’re not only responsible for clinical excellence, but they’re also responsible for compliance and marketing and procurement.  

They’re spread too thin. 

Dentistry is a career that promises balance, financial security, and an opportunity to make a positive impact on our communities. 

Dentists change lives every day. 

But at the same time, many dentists feel like they have too much debt. Or too little clinical autonomy. Many feel like they have too many responsibilities. Too much financial pressure. Maybe they work in an uninspiring practice with a life draining culture and too much turnover. Or maybe they own their practice and everyone expects them to be equally skilled in periodontics and payroll. 

It’s a lot to ask. 

I’m the CEO of Tailwater, a group of exceptional dentists committed to creating the best careers in dentistry. The most life-giving culture. The best mentorship and operational support. A place where dentists can operate at the top of their license and thrive. And I’m also a professor of organizational development and a former tech exec. 

And I think we can do better. 

Many dentists are happy. Balanced. Successful at work and at home. But too many aren’t there yet. 

Dentists deserve better. 

I’m a CEO, but that’s not my core identity. I’m a human first. A husband, dad, son, brother, friend, neighbor, and occasional elementary school mascot. I care deeply about my friends and partners who are dentists. I want them to be great clinicians, and I want their practices to hum. But I also want them to be successful at home. Excellent moms, dads, husbands, and wives. Great coaches and neighbors.

I’m not a dentist, but I am a guy who believes that good habits, good ideas, and good culture can help dentists thrive. 

Culture is made up of the behavior we teach and tolerate, and every dental practice has one.

Most of the time, you can feel it when you walk in. And culture happens whether you’re intentional about it or not. At Tailwater, we’re doing our best to be intentional and weave the best ideas into our own culture.

Ideas that can help dentists thrive. And to hopefully give some smiles back to the people who create them.