24th April 2025
Mental Health Awareness Week: What Links Mental Health and Dentistry?
Content Warning: This article discusses mental health and eating disorders. For support on any of these issues, please visit the NHS website.
The connection between mental wellbeing and oral health isn’t new, but it’s a conversation that still doesn’t happen often enough. With Mental Health Awareness Week highlighting the importance of open dialogue and proactive care, now is the ideal time to take a closer look at how the dental world can support better mental health for both patients and practitioners.
Mental Wellbeing and Oral Health Go Hand in Hand
As many practitioners will know, dental health and oral health are deeply connected, with one often influencing the other. Conditions like depression and anxiety can reduce a person’s motivation to maintain daily routines, including brushing and flossing. In turn, poor oral hygiene can lead to tooth decay, gum disease, and a general decline in wellbeing, fuelling a negative cycle.
Those experiencing eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or bipolar disorder can also face additional oral health risks due to nutritional deficiencies, vomiting, or the side effects of medications. Mental health awareness across the dental field can play a powerful role in catching these signs early and ensuring patients receive appropriate support, even beyond the surgery.
The Impact of Dental Anxiety and Dental Phobia
One of the most direct and widely recognised links between mental health and dentistry is dental anxiety. This condition can range from mild nervousness about a check-up to dental phobia – an intense fear that may stop someone from attending appointments altogether.
Research shows that as many as 44% of adults have a fear of the dentist, while 76% admit to putting off the dentist unless it’s an emergency. These anxieties may stem from previous bad experiences, a fear of pain, or simply the feeling of losing control in a clinical setting.
Addressing this issue goes beyond patient care.
It’s also about creating an environment where fear isn’t heightened. Features of the physical design, like lighting, sound, temperature, and layout, can make a significant difference in how a patient feels from the moment they step in.
Creating Calming Clinical Environments
Designing spaces that help reduce anxiety is a growing focus in healthcare, and dentistry is no exception. The waiting room, in particular, plays a central role. This is the place where nerves can build. A noisy, sterile, or cramped space can increase discomfort, whereas a calm, uncluttered and softly lit environment can help settle nerves before a procedure begins. Some practices are now incorporating noise-reducing features to minimise the sound of dental equipment, which is often a major trigger for those with dental anxiety.
These elements are not about creating a luxury experience. They’re about removing the small barriers that might otherwise stop someone from attending a much-needed appointment. Mental health awareness in dentistry starts with recognising how these practical changes can have lasting impacts.
Supporting Teams as Well As Patients
While much of the focus during dental mental health awareness is rightly placed on patients, it’s equally important to acknowledge the wellbeing of dental professionals themselves.
The industry faces unique pressures. Long hours, complex clinical decisions, patient anxiety, and regulatory burdens all contribute to higher levels of stress, burnout and even depression. A study found that over 40% of dentists had experienced significant stress, with many citing mental health as a growing concern.
Thoughtful design can improve morale, minimise daily friction, and promote a healthier workplace culture – all of which support the broader conversation around ‘mental health awareness’.
Opening the Door to Meaningful Conversations
Mental health stigma is still a barrier for many. In a dental setting, practitioners are uniquely placed to spot signs of distress or behavioural change, whether it’s through a shift in attendance patterns or signs of oral neglect.
Being able to confidently and sensitively raise mental health concerns with a patient is a skill that takes time to develop. However, there’s a growing awareness that dental professionals can be an important point of contact, in particular for those who may not have sought help elsewhere.
Making room for these conversations often starts with trust.
A patient who feels rushed, judged, or simply overwhelmed by the surroundings is unlikely to open up. On the other hand, a relaxed setting and a calm, unhurried consultation can open the door to discussing wider concerns.
A Longer-Term View on Care
Mental Health Awareness Week is an ideal moment to think beyond short-term interventions. For dental care to truly support mental wellbeing, it needs to be integrated across the whole patient journey. This starts with the look and feel of the building and the structure of the consultation, which resonates through the way aftercare is provided and how the team works together behind the scenes.
By weaving mental health awareness into the fabric of a practice, both physically and culturally, we can create spaces that support every person who walks through the door.
Supporting Better Dental Environments with Curran Dental
At Curran Dental, we specialise in designing, building, and equipping dental practices that support every aspect of patient and staff wellbeing. From full refits to small-space upgrades, we take a tailored approach that blends aesthetics and functionality for a calmer, more efficient clinical environment.
If you’re considering a refresh or want to better support those with dental anxiety or dental phobia, our team is here to help. View our dental design solutions, or get in touch to talk through your ideas.
FAQs
What are the signs of dental-related anxiety in patients?
Common signs include frequent cancellations, visible distress, reluctance to recline in the chair, or hypersensitivity to sounds and smells. Patients may also avoid eye contact or show signs of panic.
Can dental practices make changes to reduce stress without a full refurbishment?
Yes. Simple updates like softer lighting, calming wall colours, comfortable furniture, and minimising noise can all help reduce anxiety without major renovation.
What support is available for dental professionals facing burnout?
Support can come from peer networks, mental health services, or professional bodies like the BDA. Creating a healthier work environment and encouraging open conversations about stress can also help.
How does physical design affect mental health in a dental setting?
The layout, lighting, noise levels, and privacy of a space all contribute to how people feel about it. A well-designed space can help lower stress, support concentration, and promote a calm atmosphere.
