AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST 97 PARTNERING WITH PATIENTS Simple, evidence-backed practices that stabilise physiology – such as paced breathing or deliberate pauses – have been shown to improve executive function under stress (Thayer et al., 2012). Regulation does not require lengthy rituals. It requires awareness of your state and intentional management thereof. 2. Attention is a finite resource Dentistry demands sustained attention across long clinical sessions. Chronic stress fragments attention, leading to: u mental fatigue u reduced situational awareness u increased cognitive errors Research shows that attentional control deteriorates under prolonged stress and fatigue, even in highly skilled professionals (Arnsten, 2009). Learning to protect and reset attention is not indulgent, its safety. 3. Emotional labour must be acknowledged Dentists manage not only procedures, but people. Patient anxiety, dissatisfaction, and expectations place emotional demands that are rarely formally acknowledged or taught. Unprocessed emotional load contributes to burnout more than technical difficulty alone (Maslach & Leiter, 2016). Regulation includes: u recognising emotional spillover u creating boundaries between patient emotion and clinician identity u preventing cumulative emotional fatigue 4. Perfectionism amplifies dysregulation Dentistry rewards precision, but perfectionism increases stress vulnerability. Maladaptive perfectionism has been strongly associated with burnout and psychological distress in healthcare professionals (Hill & Curran, 2016). Regulation involves: u distinguishing excellence from selfpunishment u tolerating uncertainty and incremental progress u reframing errors as information, not identity 5. Recovery is a skill, not a luxury Many dentists rest only when exhausted. However, recovery is most effective before depletion, not after. Evidence shows that micro-recovery during the workday – brief pauses, task switching, physiological resets – significantly reduces cumulative stress (Sonnentag & Fritz, 2007). Regulation is built through repeated recovery, not occasional collapse. From surviving to sustainable practice The goal of regulation is not to eliminate stress. Dentistry will always involve pressure, responsibility, and uncertainty. The goal is to: u maintain access to skills under load u protect cognitive clarity u reduce unnecessary suffering u support longevity in practice Dentists do not need to stop caring. They need systems that allow them to care without constant physiological, cognitive, and physical cost to them A cultural shift is needed Dentistry has normalised dysregulation as dedication. Long hours, mental fatigue, emotional suppression, and constant vigilance are often treated as professional virtues rather than warning signs. But sustainability is not weakness. It is professionalism. Regulation is not about doing less; it is about functioning better with what you already do. Conclusion Dentists are not struggling because they lack motivation, intelligence, or resilience. They are struggling because they are expected to perform with precision, empathy, and consistency while operating for prolonged periods in physiologically and cognitively dysregulated states. Addressing this requires more than generic advice or resilience narratives. It requires recognising regulation as a core professional competency rather than a personal failing. When regulation improves, clarity returns. And when clarity returns, confidence stabilises, decision-making becomes more consistent, and clinical satisfaction often follows. This understanding formed the basis for the development of REGULATE — an evidence-informed, in-person seminar designed specifically for healthcare professionals. Its focus is not on motivation, but on equipping clinicians with a practical framework to manage sustained stress and maintain elite performance in demanding clinical environments. At its core, REGULATE reframes regulation as a learnable and repeatable skill that underpins clear thinking, sound judgement, and sustainable practice. As clinicians strengthen this capability, the work itself does not change — but their capacity to engage with it does. Clinical decision-making feels more grounded, patient interactions become less effortful, and professional fulfilment becomes more accessible. And this is not because the work has changed, but because the clinician has. u For more information on REGULATE, visit www.drshahana.com.au or email shahana@drshahana.com.au’ References 1. Gorter, R. C., Albrecht, G., Hoogstraten, J., & Eijkman, M. A. (2000). Professional burnout among Dutch dentists. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 28(6), 429–437. 2. Rada, R. E., & Johnson-Leong, C. (2004). Stress, burnout, anxiety and depression among dentists. Journal of the American Dental Association, 135(6), 788–794. 3. Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: Recent research and its implications for psychiatry. World Psychiatry, 15(2), 103–111. 4. Arnsten, A. F. T. (2009). Stress signalling pathways that impair prefrontal cortex structure and function. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(6), 410–422. 5. Thayer, J. F., Åhs, F., Fredrikson, M., Sollers, J. J., & Wager, T. D. (2012). A meta-analysis of heart rate variability and neuroimaging studies. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 36(2), 747–756. Dr Shahana Abed (BDS, ADC, MICOI, DSc) is a clinician, writer, and educator whose work focuses on the application of neuroscience and communication psychology within healthcare practice. Originally trained in South Africa, she later completed the Australian Dental Council (ADC) certification and holds a Mastership with the International Congress of Oral Implantologists (MICOI). In clinical practice, Dr Shahana performs complex surgical reconstruction and full mouth rehabilitation — work that demands precision, composure, and decision-making in high-pressure environments. This experience underpins her professional interest in how clinicians sustain clarity and performance under stress. She later earned a Doctor of Science (DSc), deepening her expertise in the integration of neuroscience, emotional regulation, and communication psychology within clinical settings. Alongside her clinical career, Dr Shahana has a longstanding commitment to professional writing and knowledge dissemination. She holds formal certification in Journalism and Creative Writing and has authored both reflective and academic pieces exploring the intersection of neuroscience, human behaviour, and clinician performance. Her work centres on translating complex psychological and neuroscientific principles into practical frameworks that enhance clinical judgement, communication, and sustainable excellence in modern healthcare practice. She is the creator of REGULATE, a revolutionary program that equips healthcare professionals with evidence-based strategies to sustain clarity, decision-making, and communication under intense pressure. Through this work, she positions regulation not as a response to stress, but as a foundational capability for sustained elite performance in modern healthcare.
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