Let’s be honest:
Dentistry can be incredibly rewarding—but it can also be isolating, exhausting, and emotionally draining.

If you're feeling sad, burned out, or even questioning whether you chose the right career, you're not alone. Many dentists silently struggle with these thoughts, especially in the early years of practice or during stressful times (recessions, staffing challenges, rising overhead, or just the day-to-day weight of responsibility).

So the big question is:

"Should I stick with dentistry, or is it time to walk away?"

This is not an easy decision—and it’s one only you can make. But before you take a permanent step in a moment of temporary pain, let’s talk about what you're really feeling, why it happens, and what your options truly are.

1. Dentistry Is Not What You Thought—And That’s Okay

Most of us enter dentistry imagining a stable, respected, and fulfilling career where we help people, make a good living, and maintain work-life balance.

But no one told us:

• That the business side would take over

• That insurance companies would constantly undervalue our care

• That patient anxiety, staff turnover, and endless overhead would weigh on us daily

• That we’d sometimes feel more like a manager than a clinician

If you're thinking, “This isn’t what I signed up for,”—you’re right. Many dental schools don’t prepare us for the emotional and operational realities of private practice. But knowing that doesn’t mean you’ve failed—it means you're human.

2. Are You Burned Out or Truly Done?

There’s a difference between being burned out and being truly mismatched with the profession.

Burnout feels like:

• Exhaustion even after time off

• Dreading the day—even if the schedule isn’t bad

• Lack of joy in what once felt meaningful

• Feeling trapped or stuck

If you’re burned out, you might just need:

• A break (real rest, not just a long weekend)

• A better work environment (toxic staff or bad associateships can crush your spirit)

• A change of pace (part-time, specialty focus, or working for someone else for a while)

Burnout is real, and it’s fixable. But if you’re consistently miserable, and the core of the work brings you no joy or purpose—then yes, it’s fair to question if this is still the right path for you.

3. You Have Options—Way More Than You Think

Dentistry doesn’t have to mean drilling and billing 5 days a week in private practice. The degree you’ve earned is powerful and versatile.

You can pivot, reshape, or reinvent your career path within (or outside of) dentistry:

Within Dentistry:

• Move to part-time or reduce clinical hours

• Work in public health, academia, or corporate dentistry

• Transition into practice consulting, speaking, or coaching

• Specialize in a niche you love (like sleep apnea, cosmetics, or ortho)

• Build a non-clinical dental business (products, software, education)

Outside Dentistry:

• Leverage your degree in healthcare leadership, tech, or policy

• Pursue entrepreneurship, real estate, or investing

• Go back to school if your heart is truly pulling you elsewhere

You’re not stuck. There’s no shame in changing paths, especially if your mental health, relationships, or personal happiness are at stake.

4. Talk to Someone—You Don’t Have to Navigate This Alone

One of the hardest parts of being a dentist is how lonely it can feel.

You carry the emotional weight of your patients, your staff, your finances—and often, no one around you really understands what it’s like.

But help exists:

• Therapists (many specialize in healthcare burnout)

• Peer support groups or dental mastermind circles

• Coaches or mentors who have been where you are

• Even just a friend in the profession who will listen without judgment

You deserve support. You deserve peace. You don’t have to suffer in silence.

5. What If You Gave It One More Shot—On Your Terms?

Before walking away completely, ask yourself this:

Have I tried practicing dentistry in a way that truly aligns with who I am?

That might mean:

• Setting firmer boundaries with patients or staff

• Cutting ties with PPOs that steal your joy

• Delegating more, doing less

• Moving toward a boutique or low-volume, high-value model

• Saying no to toxic environments

Sometimes it’s not the profession that’s the problem—it’s the model you’ve been stuck in.

Redesign it. Rewrite the rules. You might fall back in love with dentistry—not the version they taught you, but the version you create.

Final Thought: You Are Not a Failure If You Walk Away—and Not Weak If You Stay

Your worth is not tied to being a dentist.
Your life is more than production goals.
Your health—mental, emotional, physical—matters more than any title.

Whether you stay and reinvent your career, or choose a new direction entirely, make that choice with clarity, courage, and support—not from a place of despair or isolation.

Because no matter what, you are not alone.

Benjamin Tuinei

Founder - Veritas Dental Resources, LLC
Phone: 888-808-4513

Services:
PPO Fee Negotiators | PPO Fee Negotiating | Insurance Fee Negotiating
Insurance Credentialing | Insurance Verifications

Websites:
www.VeritasDentalResources.com | www.VerusDental.com