Pledge to support the mental health and well-being of dental students
Preamble
Dentistry is a demanding profession that can lead to significant mental health challenges, including burnout and maladaptive coping behaviours. Promoting mental health and well-being is essential not only for the individual health of practitioners, but also for ensuring a sustainable dental workforce and the safety of patients. Dental students can be exposed to these stressors from the very beginning of their training, especially given the requirement to perform irreversible dental procedures on patients under supervision. This experience makes dental education intense and emotionally strenuous.
All stakeholders, educational institutions, dental professionals, and industry partners, have a collective responsibility to foster mental health and well-being from the moment students enter university and dental school, through to graduation and their transition to the workplace.
Our Pledge
We as members of the oral healthcare sector, pledge to support the mental health and well-being of dental students. Acknowledging the well-documented stress and mental health burden in the dental profession, we commit to ensuring that future dental professionals are equipped with the tools, training, and support needed to thrive.
We pledge to:
- Embed mental health into the university and dental school curriculum to foster awareness and resilience from the outset.
- Train educational staff to recognize signs of mental distress in students and provide appropriate support.
- Ensure learning, teaching and assessment methods actively support student mental health and well-being.
- Provide tailored support services that reflect the unique nature of the university and dental school environment, addressing the needs of international students, students with disabilities, and marginalized groups.
- Support students on clinical placements, ensuring they have access to mental health resources and guidance throughout.
- Develop and disseminate tools and information to help all educators identify and address students’ mental health concerns.
- Prepare dental students for the transition from university and dental school to professional practice, equipping them with strategies to manage stress and promote self-care.
- Foster a culture of openness and support within university and dental schools, where both students and staff feel safe to speak up and seek help when experiencing mental health challenges.
- Encourage and educate students to choose training courses on stress management and well-being during their continuing professional development.
Sign the Pledge
I am committed to supporting the mental health and well-being of dental students and to upholding the actions outlined in this pledge.