Dental hygienists face unique mental health challenges throughout their careers. Workplace stressors—tight scheduling pressures, limited autonomy, and physical strain from ergonomic demands—can contribute to anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions.
Balancing professional responsibilities with personal life adds another layer of complexity. Prioritizing our own well-being and supporting others isn’t just important, it’s essential to providing quality patient care.
Research
Occupational stressors of dental hygienists in the United States ↗A Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitation (2020)
ADHA’s two-day virtual program brings together expert guidance and practical tools to help you protect your health, prevent burnout, and build a sustainable career in dental hygiene. Each half-day session runs 10 AM–2:30 PM CT. Earn up to 7.5 live CE credits and your Health & Career Sustainability Certificate, June 6–7, 2026. Learn more & Register >>
Use the trusted resources below for your own well-being and in your practice.
Self-Assessment Tools
- Mental Health, When Do We Call it a Problem? (Resource details pending)
- Mental Health Checkup: Self-Tests (Psychology Today)
- Well-Being Index (WBI) by Mayo Clinic
- 🎥 10 Things Depression Makes You Do
Personal Well-Being Resources
- Mindfulness and Meditation Apps
Tools like Headspace, Calm, Woebot Health, Wysa, Insight Timer and faith-based options offer accessible ways to practice mindfulness and reduce stress. Research supports their effectiveness: a 2024 meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found mindfulness apps significantly reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Read the research >> - Evaluating Mental Health Apps
Not all mental health apps are created equal. The American Psychiatric Association offers a free App Evaluation Model to help you assess whether a specific app is appropriate, evidence-based, and secure. Use the APA’s App Evaluation Model >> - 7 Steps to Manage Stress and Build Resilience (NIH/ORWH)
Practical, actionable steps including exercise, sleep, healthy eating, and resilience-building. Solid for a clinical professional audience. - Depression Guide & Slideshows by WebMD
- Dental Mental Network or Dial 1-814-215-0426
- 🎥Breathing Resources (Video by Shirley Gutowski, RDH, OMT)
- Deep Breathing Exercises & Techniques by WebMD
Diet & Nutrition Resources
- Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind, by Dr. Georgia Ede
Harvard-trained psychiatrist Dr. Georgia Ede combines brain metabolism science with evidence-based nutrition to optimize mental health, including modified paleo/keto/carnivore diet plans and tools for testing insulin resistance. - MetabolicMind.org
A nonprofit advancing the science of metabolic psychiatry — exploring how nutrition, metabolism, and brain health intersect to support mental well-being. - Research: Nutrition and mental health: A review of current knowledge about the impact of diet on mental health
Frontiers in Nutrition (2022) - Research: A systematic review and meta-analysis of dietary patterns and depression in community-dwelling adults
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2014)
Personal Stories
How I Overcame Burnout and Returned to Dental Hygiene
NAMI Helpline or Dial 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)- SAMHSA – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration or Dial 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
- Suicide Prevention Resource Center: Dial or Text 988
- Find a Support Group: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
- 988 Lifeline: Support for Loss Survivors: Dial or Text 988
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: Dial or Text 988
- Panic Disorder Information Hotline: Dial 1-866-903-3787
Professional Support Resources
- Peer support networks: Dental Mental Network, NAMI Peer-to-Peer
- Mentorship opportunities: ADHA Mentor Match
- How Depression is Linked to Oral Health (CareQuest)
- Suicide Prevention (NIMH/NIH)
- National Alliance on Mental Illness
- Patient Health Questionnaire Tool
- Anxiety and Depression Association of America
- National Council for Mental Wellbeing
- Warning Signs of Suicide (NIMH/NIH)
Research
- Worried Sick: Anxiety, Depression, and the Impact on Dental Health Care Workers
Journal of Dental Hygiene (2022) - Compassion Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue, and Burnout among Dental Hygienists in the United States
Journal of Dental Hygiene (2022) - Mental Health and Self-Care Practices Among Dental Hygienists
Journal of Dental Hygiene (2020) - Stress and the dental hygiene profession: Risk factors, symptoms, and coping strategies
The Canadian Journal of Dental Hygiene (2014) - Types of Relaxation Techniques and Clinical Significance (NCBI/NIH)
- Suicide prevention using self-guided digital interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
The Lancet Digital Health (2020) - Digital Interventions for Suicide Prevention: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of RCTs Examining Age, Gender, and Control Group Type
Crisis (2025) - Occupational stressors of dental hygienists in the United States
A Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitation (2020) - The Efficacy of Mindfulness Apps on Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety: An Updated Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Clinical Psychology Review (2024) - Association Between Mental Health and Oral Health Status and Care Utilization
Frontiers in Oral Health (2022) - Mental health screenings in dental settings
Journal of the American Dental Association (2024)
Educational Opportunities
- June 6-7, 2026, Virtual Course: Wellness in Practice, A Personal Health & Career Longevity Workshop (ADHA)
- Talk Saves Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention (AFSP)
- QPR Training – Question, Persuade, Refer
- Mental Health First Aid (NCMW)
CE Smart Courses
- FREE Mental Health: A Personal Journey and Call to Action
- ADHA24 Mental Health and Self-Care Workshop Bundle
Use code 2026MAY50 for 50% off this month - Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Training
- Handedness, MSDs, and Quality of Life in Dental Hygienists
- Mental Health & The Dental Hygienist Certification Program
- Mental Health & Wellness for Dental Hygienists
- Momentous Impact of Mindfulness on Professional Well-Being
Use code 2026MAY50 for 50% off this month
Have a Resource to Suggest?
If you know of a credible, evidence-based resource that belongs on this page, please email [email protected] with the resource details and the section where you feel it best fits. All submissions will be reviewed prior to being added. Thank you!
ADHA thanks Sherri Lukes for generously volunteering her time and expertise to help curate these resources so that dental hygienists, their practices and their patients can benefit.
Sherri M. Lukes, RDH, MS, FAADH, has been a dental hygienist for 45 years and is Associate Professor Emerita at Southern Illinois University. A passionate advocate for mental health awareness in the profession, she presents courses across the country on mental health and suicide prevention and volunteers as a presenter with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. She is a past president of the Illinois Dental Hygienists’ Association and a recipient of the ADHA Award for Excellence in Dental Hygiene. Learn more at sherrilukes.com.