Do dental professionals have a role in managing suicide risk in dental patients?

Aims and Objectives: To establish if dental professionals have a role in managing suicide risk in dental patients. This paper discusses mental health awareness, national drivers, and opportunities available to the dental team to impact the management of suicide risk.

Methodology: An online questionnaire was disseminated to dental staff at a Dental Hospital and School, to gain information on previous suicide awareness training, barriers to training use and attitudes to suicide prevention.

Results: Less than 25% of dental professionals who responded to the survey reported having undertaken suicide risk training previously, highlighting that almost 80% of respondents have no experience or training in the identification of patients displaying suicidal tendencies. Most dental professionals responding (75%) expressed a desire for further training in suicide risk prevention, with only 36% feeling confident that they could recognise mental health concerns with colleagues and students.

Conclusion: Dental professionals have a potential role in suicide prevention and suicide risk assessment. However further education and training is required to ensure patients and professionals receive the appropriate guidance and support.