Suicide and the dental profession

It is often reported that dentists have a high rate of suicide, and this is linked to the stress of working in dental practice. Research conducted by the Black Dog Institute has identified people working in the veterinary, dental, medical and legal professions at higher risk of suicide. Research in Australian dental practitioners found that around 1 in 6 reported thoughts of suicide in the previous 12 months, nearly 1 in 3 had thoughts of suicide prior to the previous 12 months and 5.6% had ever made an attempt to take their own life.