Dentists' burn-out and well-being treating trauma survivors

Dental Tribune International

Fri. 20. February 2026

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OSLO, Norway: Oral health professionals providing care for survivors of torture and abuse and patients with severe dental anxiety face unique emotional and organisational challenges that may affect their professional quality of life. A Norwegian cross-sectional study explored levels of burn-out, secondary traumatic stress and compassion satisfaction—the fulfilment derived from helping others—and examined how psychosocial workplace factors influenced these outcomes. The findings highlight the importance of organisational support and work–life balance in sustaining clinician well-being.

The study assessed 114 professionals working in Norway’s interdisciplinary service for the provision of dental care to patients with trauma histories via a survey. Overall, participants reported moderate levels of compassion satisfaction, burn-out and secondary traumatic stress, suggesting a workforce functioning reasonably well overall, but vulnerable to escalating strain.

Poor work–life balance was consistently associated with lower compassion satisfaction and higher burn-out and secondary traumatic stress. Support systems too played a critical role: support from supervisors was linked to lower burn-out, while colleague support was associated with reduced secondary traumatic stress. Emotional support outside work, such as from family and friends, was linked to more positive professional experiences.

The study found differences across professional groups. Dentists reported higher burn-out and secondary traumatic stress than psychologists did, possibly reflecting variations in training, coping resources or role expectations. Longer experience within the specialised service was associated with greater compassion satisfaction, suggesting that familiarity and adaptation may foster resilience over time.

The study also reported that debriefing opportunities were limited and that a greater desire for debriefing was associated with higher stress levels, a finding that the authors suggested likely reflects participants’ attempts to manage emotional demands. Organisational conditions, including role clarity, workload and decision demands, influenced outcomes, reinforcing the importance of supportive work environments.

Interestingly, working with trauma survivors was not the primary contributor to occupational strain. Instead, broader organisational and psychosocial conditions explained most of the variation in professional quality of life. The authors concluded that improving workplace support, promoting a healthy work–life balance and involving oral health professionals in discussions about caring for vulnerable populations are essential strategies to protect well-being and maintain high-quality patient care.

The study, titled “Professional quality of life among Norwegian oral health professionals working with torture and abuse survivors and patients with severe dental anxiety”, was published online on 28 January 2026 in Acta Odontologica Scandinavica.