The Real Reason 1 in 3 Dental Staff Plan to Quit in 2026 — and How to Stop It
It’s no secret that dentistry is tough work. Long hours, high patient expectations, and the daily pressure of keeping everything running smoothly can wear anyone down. But here’s the part that often gets overlooked: mental health and burnout are quietly driving people out of the profession.
Studies suggest that many dental nurses are pushing through their shifts even while struggling mentally. On the surface, it looks like resilience. In reality, it’s exhaustion building in silence. And that’s why so many are planning to leave—because carrying on like this simply isn’t sustainable.
The surprising thing is that the solution isn’t always higher pay or fewer hours (though those help). What staff really want is a sense of progress. They want to feel like their career is going somewhere. When a dental nurse feels “stuck” in the same role year after year, it eats away at motivation and accelerates burnout.
This is where career development makes all the difference.
Why Feeling Stuck Breaks People
Think about it: if every day feels the same, with no recognition or clear next step, why would anyone stay long term? Dentistry is demanding enough as it is. Without growth, the challenges start to outweigh the rewards.
But give someone a pathway—a chance to learn, to step into a new responsibility, to be trusted with more than the basics—and suddenly the job feels alive again. It’s not just about surviving the week; it’s about building towards something bigger.
The Dual-Role Solution
One of the most effective ways practices are tackling this is by introducing dual roles. Instead of staff being confined to one box, they’re given the chance to blend responsibilities. For example:
As a Treatment Coordinator, a dental nurse can guide patients through their journey, explaining treatment plans and options in a way that builds trust. It’s rewarding, it’s patient-focused, and it directly impacts the success of the practice.
As a Lead Dental Nurse, that same person can take ownership of infection control, audits, stock management, or mentoring junior staff—roles that bring recognition and authority.
Together, these roles give staff variety and a sense of leadership, without removing them from the clinical side they enjoy. It’s a perfect balance: still hands-on, but with added scope and purpose.
Turning Training into Real Progression
Training is key here. Courses like the Certificate in Treatment Coordination or the Certificate in Lead Dental Nursing aren’t just “extra learning”—they’re proof of development. They give structure to a role and show staff (and the wider team) that this isn’t a dead-end job. It’s a career that can grow.
When practices make that commitment—protecting time for training, recognising dual-role responsibilities, and celebrating progress—staff see a future worth staying for. And when people see a future, they stop looking for an exit.
The Biggest Threat
The biggest threat to retention in dentistry isn’t just the workload. It’s the lack of visible career progression. Mental health struggles and burnout are real, but they’re made worse when people feel there’s no way forward.
By investing in structured roles like Treatment Coordinator or Lead Dental Nurse, and by supporting staff with proper training and recognition, practices can flip the script. Instead of losing one in three staff in 2026, they’ll keep their best people, build stronger teams, and create a culture where loyalty and growth replace stress and exit strategies.
Because at the end of the day, staff don’t leave because dentistry is hard. They leave because they can’t see a future. And that’s something every practice can change.