Facing the Fear: Why Dentists Struggle and How to Identify 10 Types of Fear
- Filo Insstitute
- Nov 17, 2025
- 7 min read
These days, as a clinical supervisor at the Dublin Dental University Hospital, I spend most of my time guiding students through the technical and emotional complexities of becoming a dentist. But sometimes, it's not just the students who need space to process.
Just last week, one of my close friends and colleagues confided in me after a long day at the clinic. She had snapped at a taxi driver who launched into the usual tirade about how dentists are greedy or uncaring. “I just lost it,” she said, eyes welling up. “I told him off, told him he had no idea what we go through.”
She was ashamed - not just for the outburst, but for how deeply it got to her. Beneath her exhaustion was a mix of frustration and fear. Fear of being misunderstood. Fear of being seen as the stereotype. Fear that despite all her effort and empathy, the world still saw her as “one of those dentists.”
She apologised to the driver before she left the car, but the moment stuck with her. And with me.
The following 10 types of fear categories were inspired by Robin Sharma, Dr Karl Albrecht, and my own clinical and teaching experiences. It offers a structured way to recognise common internal barriers of humans. For each one, you’ll find a real-life dental example that illustrates how these fears can manifest in practice and offer both awareness and a starting point for change.
1. Fear of Failure
Definition: Fear that your actions will not succeed, leading to shame or disappointment [1].
Dental Examples:
Avoiding Complex Procedures: A dentist repeatedly refers out complex extractions or root canals. Even though they have the required training - still fear they might make a mistake. This not only limits their growth (financially as well) but reduces trust in their capabilities.
Not Starting Their Clinic: An associate dentist dreams of opening their practice but never leaps, worrying, “What if it fails?” They stay employed under someone else's vision and earn a percentage for years, despite having the skills and passion to lead.
Sticking to “Safe” Treatment Options: A dentist consistently recommends the most conservative treatment, even when more advanced options (such as fixed prosthodontics solution) would be better. They’re afraid of complications, extra dental laboratory bills, or complaints that might come from perceived failure.
Hesitating to Train or Mentor Others: A senior dentist avoids mentoring junior colleagues, fearing they might give poor advice or be seen as incompetent if something goes wrong under their guidance. As a result, they miss out on leadership and legacy-building.
2. Fear of Success
Definition: Subconscious fear of the changes, responsibilities, or visibility that success may bring [2].
Dental Examples:
Resisting Marketing and Self-Promotion: The dentist avoids promoting their skills or clinic online, fearing that appearing too confident or successful might attract negative attention.
Sabotaging Opportunities: When offered a chance to present at conferences or publish research, the dentist procrastinates or declines, subconsciously fearing the spotlight and higher expectations that come with success.
Not Raising Fees or Expanding Services: Despite demand, the dentist avoids increasing fees or offering new, advanced procedures, fearing that growing their practice might change patient relationships or circle - increase pressure to maintain success
3. Fear of Rejection
Definition: Worry about disapproval or exclusion (related to Albrecht’s “Ego-death” and social rejection fears [3].
Dental Examples:
Avoiding Price Discussions: A dentist hesitates to discuss treatment costs or offer higher-priced options, fearing patients will reject the proposal or think it’s too expensive.
Not Proposing Advanced Treatments: Even when a patient could benefit from advanced procedures (like implants or orthodontics), the dentist hesitates to suggest them, fearing the patient will reject the idea or switch and go to the competitor.
Not Asking for Reviews: Despite having satisfied patients, the dentist avoids asking them for Google reviews, worried that patients might say no or feel pressured.
4. Fear of Not Being Enough (Impostor Syndrome)
Definition: Imposter syndrome (IS) is a psychological pattern where high-achieving individuals experience persistent self-doubt about their intelligence, skills, or accomplishments, often feeling like a fraud despite evident success [4].
Dental Examples:
Doubting Clinical Skills: Dentist feels insecure about their abilities during complex procedures, worrying they aren’t skilled enough compared to colleagues or specialists.
Impostor Syndrome in New Dentists: A recently graduated dentist feels like a fraud, thinking they don’t deserve their job or patients’ trust despite of positive feedback.
Wearing a Social Mask: The dentist puts on the confident “social mask”- in front of the patients and peers but internally struggles with feelings of inadequacy or “not good enough” to succeed.
5. Fear of Scarcity (Not Having Enough)
Definition: No matter how hard you try, it's almost impossible to focus on anything else when you're so consumed by what you're missing (aligned with Albrecht's "Loss of Autonomy" fear category) [5].
Dental Example:
Financial Scarcity: A dentist constantly worries about clinic revenue and avoids investing in new technology (intraoral scanner, digital X-ray), and continuing education including dental staff, even when it could improve efficiency and patient care in the long run.
Time Scarcity: Feeling there is never enough time in the day, a dentist rushes through procedures or takes more time (like polishing that filling), forgets to take proper clinical notes, and skips breaks to finish in time. All these points lead to burnout and decreased clinical quality.
Team Scarcity: A dentist avoids delegating tasks to assistants or hygienists, believing “no one can do it as well as I can,” which creates micromanagement, staff frustration, and an overburdened workday.
6. Fear of Judgment / Not Fitting In
Definition: Fear of social exclusion due to working style, background, culture or age [6].
Dental Example:
Fear of Peer Evaluation: A young dentist hesitates to share clinical cases on social media or at study clubs, worried they’ll be judged by more experienced colleagues for not being “perfect” or using the latest techniques.
Not Fitting Into the “Ideal Dentist” Mold: A dentist who prefers a holistic or slower-paced practice style feels pressured to adopt high-production, fast-paced models because that seems to be celebrated in the corporate dental industry (more quantity less quality)
Fear of Team Disapproval: A dentist joining a new clinic refraining from giving honest feedback to staff or changing protocols, fearing they’ll upset the team or be seen as “difficult” or overly demanding.
7. Fear of Losing Control / Uncertainty
Definition: Fear of the unknown and the need to micromanage [7].
Dental Examples:
Managing Dental Emergencies & Treatment: Feels high anxiety during walk-in emergencies (e.g., facial swelling, child with trauma), fearing the situation will escalate beyond their control or skillset. Experiences heightened stress when a restoration fails prematurely, an implant doesn’t integrate, or ortho treatment doesn’t follow the expected timeline
Financial Insecurity in Private Practice: Hesitates to invest in new equipment, marketing, or hiring more colleagues. They fear that they are not able to control ROI or the quality of other colleagues’s clinical work.
Negative Online Reviews: Obsessively checks online platforms for feedback and avoids asking patients for reviews, fearing that even a small negative comment could spiral beyond their control and damage their reputation.
8. Fear of Isolation / Loneliness
Definition: The fear of being disconnected emotionally or physically (Tied to “Separation” fear in Albrecht’s model) [8].
Dental Example:
Solo Practice Burnout: A dentist running a solo practice feels emotionally drained because they lack professional support or colleagues to share clinical challenges with. The isolation builds up over time, leading to stress and a sense of being alone in their decisions.
New Graduate in a Large Clinic: A newly qualified dentist or someone moves to a different country- join a busy multi-chair clinic where everyone seems confident and experienced. They feel like an outsider, unsure of who to ask for help, and fear being judged as weak if they reach out. Moreover, “they close their door” when they start their shift so the new dentist struggles with feelings of loneliness.
Avoidance of Vulnerability in Professional Relationships: The dentist hesitates to be open about stress or mental health challenges with peers, fearing it may damage their reputation. This emotional masking reinforces a sense of being “different” or emotionally cut off from others in the profession.
9. Fear of Illness / Death (Physical Harm)
Definition: Concern about physical decline, illness, or mortality [9].
Dental Examples:
Fear of Occupational Hazards: Worrying about exposure to infectious diseases like (COVID-19, hepatitis, tuberculosis, or cold sores) during patient treatment, leads to anxiety about personal health and safety.
Worry About Long-Term Career Impact of Illness & Ergonomic Injuries: Fearing that a serious illness or physical limitation could force early retirement or affect the ability to provide dental care, causing emotional distress. Concern over developing chronic musculoskeletal problems, such as back or neck pain, from long hours of precise dental work in awkward positions.
Fear of Needlestick Injuries: Stress about accidentally pricking oneself with contaminated needles or sharp instruments, which could result in serious infections.
10. Fear of Being Insignificant / Unfulfilled
Definition: Fear that one’s life or work won't matter in the long run [10].
Dental Examples:
Fear of Not Making an Impact on Patients’ Expectations: A dentist doubts whether their care truly makes a difference, feeling insignificant when patients don’t return for appointments or fail to follow treatment plans.
Comparing Oneself to More Successful Peers: A dentist feels insignificant when comparing their skills, achievements, or reputation to highly accomplished colleagues, leading to self-doubt and low confidence.
Lack of Recognition for Extra Efforts: When a new dentist joins a practice and puts in extra hours & effort but does not receive an acknowledgment from the principal dentist, leading to feelings of being undervalued.
Summary
Every single person, even the most influential dentist faces fear and wrestles with the same doubts that you and I do. We’re all human, and our greatness often hinges on how we look those fears in the eye and do the inner work to understand them. No matter how far you’ve come, you won’t ever be completely free from fear. New challenges will always arise but each time you face a fear, you grow stronger and less terrified of what’s coming next.
Community-Building Homework: Take a moment to reflect on those points and list your three fears. Write it down or share it in the comment section so we can support one another in this journey of growth. Next article, there will be useful tips and guidance on how to use our fear as a superpower to grow not only professionally but personally.
References:
Albrecht, K. (2007). Practical Intelligence: The Art and Science of Common Sense.
Psychological tie-in: Gay Hendricks' “Upper Limit Problem” in The Big Leap
Brown, B. (2012). Daring Greatly
Martin R. Huecker; Jacob Shreffler; Patrick T. McKeny; David Davis: Imposter Phenomenon (2023)
Brown, B. (2010). The Gifts of Imperfection.
Frankl, V. (1946). Man’s Search for Meaning.
