CATEGORY 88 AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST It has been years now that I have been mentor to early career dentists; both the new grads straight out of Uni, as well as the overseas dentists immediately post ADC exams who are still adjusting to Australian practice culture. When we talk about stress in earlycareer dentistry, the conversation often defaults to the obvious: workload, di cult patients, expanding scope, or the steep learning curve of clinical practice. But what if the real source of stress isn’t what we were taught, but rather but what we weren’t? ere is a concept in education known as the “hidden curriculum.” It refers to the set of norms, expectations, and behaviours that are learned implicitly, rather than formally taught. ese include things like how to manage pressure, how to respond to uncertainty, how to navigate workplace social dynamics or behave under scrutiny, and how to cope when things don’t go as planned. In dentistry this hidden curriculum may be one of the most powerful drivers of stress in young clinicians. The Gap Between Training and Clinical practice Dental education is rigorous, structured, and clinically focused. Students are trained to diagnose, plan, and execute treatment in controlled environments. ere is a strong emphasis on precision, outcomes, and technical competence. And I speak from experience. I have taught undergraduate dentistry both in Australia and overseas for decades. What is far less emphasised is the complex, unpredictable human reality of practice. New graduates quickly nd themselves navigating: u Patients with expectations that don’t align with clinical reality u Time pressures that weren’t present at university u Financial discussions and treatment acceptance u e emotional weight of responsibility u e strain of workplace dynamics. u is creates a fundamental mismatch. Research in medical education demonstrates that many of the social, behavioural, and psychological aspects of clinical practice are not formally taught but are instead transmitted through the hidden curriculum; the implicit norms, values, and expectations embedded within clinical environments (Lawrence et al., 2018; Grus et al., 2017). Furthermore, studies on preparedness for practice show that new graduates often feel less equipped for the interpersonal and adaptive demands of real-world care despite strong clinical training (Louey et al., 2024). e result is not just stress, but also confusion. Many young dentists feel they are “struggling,” when in reality they are actually encountering aspects of the profession they were never exposed to or explicitly trained for. When Stress Becomes “Normal” One of the more concerning aspects of the hidden curriculum is how it shapes beliefs about what is acceptable. Studies suggest that high stress and burnout are often implicitly normalised during training, becoming seen as part of the profession rather than a problem to address. is normalisation shows up in subtle ways: u “Everyone feels like this in the beginning” u “You’ll get used to it” u “ at’s just dentistry” Over time, this creates a culture where: u Stress is endured rather than managed u Vulnerability is suppressed u Asking for help feels like weakness e hidden message becomes clear: cope quietly, and keep going. The Cognitive and Emotional Load of Dentistry To understand why this is so impactful, we need to look beyond workload and consider cognitive and emotional load. Dentistry is a profession that requires: u Continuous decision-making u High levels of precision u Real-time problem-solving u Constant patient interaction At the same time, young dentists are still developing clinical con dence. is means every decision carries weight; and often, self-doubt. Burnout literature in dental education consistently highlights that stress is not just about volume of work, PARTNERING WITH PATIENTS Stress in young dentists: e ‘hidden curriculum’ of what you were never taught By Dr Shahana Abed Dr Shahana Abed REGIONAL PRACTICE? ASSOy QoZ Ior the 6yGQey AustrDOLDQ 'eQtLstry AZDrGs Are you the best
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