Mind-Body Wellness: A Complement to Dental Education and Professional Development

Abstract

We strive in dental education to train our students to leave dental school with a skill set that enables them to be competent in diagnosis, treatment planning, and in their technical skills to treat their patients. We do not however train our students in practices to maintain their physical and mental well-being, cope with the demands of the dental school curriculum, and provide a toolbox of skills to manage the stresses of dentistry that will be with them for as long as they practice. The COVID-19 pandemic has added a new layer of stress on dental students and although the topic of wellness has been addressed in various ways in dental school environments, integrating a wellness component that supports our student's vulnerabilities while also teaching skills to build resilience to adversity is a needed and missing component in the dental curriculum. Elective stress management wellness courses have been implemented in dental schools and although this is a promising start, the demands of the dental school curriculum make it a difficult environment to become relaxed, grounded, and focused. Based on 6 years of experience in creating and implementing an integrated wellness program at an academic dental institution, this article aims to outline the benefits and applications for teaching mind-body practices in the dental school curriculum as preventative approaches to maintaining overall student wellness, for developing effective strategies to manage academic and clinical challenges and how it sets the foundation for the health, well-being, and professional mindset of future dentists.

Keywords: Dental education; dental student stress; mind-body wellness; stress and dentistry; yoga and meditation.

Figure 1

Yogic process tools effects on the mind and body