It’s probably not a question you’ve asked yourself before. After all, you’re a dentist. Your focus is the mouth. So how could menopause possibly influence the work you do—or the way your practice runs?
The reality is menopause and oral health have been widely overlooked. We still know far too little about menopause as a whole. And that lack of awareness is costing us—as clinicians and as business owners.
Clinically, think about how menopause may contribute to issues like dry mouth, bleeding gums, bone loss, or even sleep apnea. What might change in your diagnosis or treatment planning if you recognized menopause as a potential underlying factor?
On the business side, the implications are just as significant. Dentistry is a female-dominated profession—from dentists to hygienists, assistants, and administrators. So, what happens to your practice when menopause symptoms disrupt their ability to work?
Read related article: How menopause nearly cost me my life—and why dentistry needs to pay attention
The numbers are eye-opening. Canadian employers lose an estimated $237 million every year due to menopause-related challenges.
Roughly 540,000 workdays are lost annually in Canada, costing women an estimated $3.3 billion in income through sick time, reduced hours, or even leaving the workforce altogether.
How much of that loss filters down to dental practices is difficult to say. The data is not there for us to arrive at any real conclusions. But with women making up the backbone of the profession, it is safe to assume the impact is very real.
So how aware are you?
Have you been an employer who shows understanding and empathy when team members struggle with menopause? Employers who demonstrate compassion are the ones people want to work for. They attract more talent, retain staff more easily, and build reputations as dream workplaces.
But here’s the challenge: menopause is still so poorly understood, empathy does not always come naturally.
That’s why I’ll be speaking at Menopause Unveiled. Because I know we all have more to learn—and I want to equip the dental teams I support to stay ahead of the curve.
Normally, I like to offer answers in my blogs. But with menopause, the questions themselves are still so new that most of us do not yet have the answers. That has to change.
Menopause is already impacting your practice—clinically and operationally. It deserves your attention. So I hope you’ll join me on this journey of learning, and maybe I will see you on September 16 at Menopause Unveiled.
About the author
Shawn Peers is the President of DentalPeers. DentalPeers is one of Canada’s oldest, continuous operating buying groups exclusively for dentists.
