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Suicide In Dentistry: Revealing The Facts

Suicide In Dentistry: Revealing The Facts
by Brooke Sergent, RDH, BS

Can we take a moment and address the pink elephant in the room? How often do you hear dentists have a high suicide rate? Maybe you have personally worked for a dentist that took his/her own life. Maybe you or someone you know wants to go to dental school, but the mere fact that looms over the possibility of fate suppresses the desire to do so. Or maybe you are sitting here reading this article with absolutely no idea that dental suicide accusations exist. However, maybe this has been a misrepresentation all along.

Four years into my dental hygiene career, the second dentist I ever worked for committed suicide four months after he abruptly shut our office down. I was deeply saddened, hurt, confused, and scared. It was then people began to tell me it wasn’t surprising he took his life, as dentists, in general, have higher suicide rates. I took the accusations as truth without ever exploring validity, until now.

A quick Google search will provide information with varied opinions about suicide in dentistry. Many will lead the researcher to believe the fate of dentists is inevitably going to end in deep depression and eventually suicide. Others compel the accusations dentists have high suicide rates. Both make great arguments.

Read full article on Today's RDH.