You rarely hear it at first, but if you’re paying attention, you can see it. An assistant shifts weight from one hip to the other as they lean with a grimace against a counter. A hygienist rubs their neck between patients. A treatment coordinator rolls their shoulders back. These nonverbal cues aren’t random; they’re the body’s silent alarms indicating pain and physical burnout. In dentistry, where silence around discomfort is common, learning to read what your team isn’t saying could be the difference between retaining a valued employee and giving in to a preventable injury or burnout.
Why silently suffer? We’ve normalized pain, especially with increased age. Given that 91% of clinicians report chronic body pain,1 it’s no surprise that the notion “we all hurt; it’s part of the job” is widely supported. By paying attention to subtle cues that physical burnout may be in the works, we can open the conversation to opportunities for adjustment:
Nonverbal cues to watch for
- Rubbing or massaging of body parts
- Shifting posture frequently
- Stretching the same body part repeatedly
- Avoiding the use of a limb, favoring one body part
- Routine shaking hands or feet
- Quivering voice
- Labored breathing or frequent sighing
- Slower work pace
How costly could missing these little signs be?
An eventual disability claim is estimated to cost an employer roughly the employee’s annual salary, plus the lost production that accompanies the buildup and loss of a team member long before absenteeism becomes something problematic. A team member may be silently (and often unknowingly) missing opportunities for treatment. Distraction from pain can snowball from omitting a chief complaint inquiry to a blatant disregard for infection control protocols to missing new treatment on a patient care plan. These avoidable mistakes directly impact a practice’s bottom line alongside our core mission of providing quality care.
Further reading: Wellness Corner: The posture reconnection for dental clinicians
In addition to the hit to the day sheet, there is the cost of longevity in the team. Hiring staff is hard enough but replacing them unnecessarily is downright costly! A team member who doesn’t file a disability claim still costs approximately 40% of their annual salary to replace.2 One unhappy, low-passion team member can create a cascade effect that other team members and even patients can feel long before the turnover occurs. All of this is a drain on the financial stability of the practice.
Acting on nonverbal cues
Avoiding the pain drain for ergonomic injury in a practice is remarkably simple and starts with observation. As the owner/dentist notices nonverbal cues, create a space for conversations about physical discomfort that doesn’t normalize pain. Including stretches as part of the morning huddle is a demonstration that we all need a proactive approach to injury prevention. Comradery without commiseration is key. Sometimes just being heard without judgment can provide enough relief to open the conversation to collaborative problem-solving. Encouragement with compassion can open the door to a self-care wellness mindset.
Business owners in 2025 know better than most that employee retention and acquisition is crucial. Studies show that 76% of dentists are lacking in ergonomic education3; therefore, including a 60% injury-reducing ergonomic support and training4 as part of the employee benefit package is a demonstration of a wellness culture workplace. This benefit also puts the business at a competitive advantage for finding and retaining the cream of the crop team members when all other things are considered (wages, hours, etc.) while reducing disability claim risk.2
Leading by example is another highly impactful way to lead a team to wellness and/or ergonomic practices. A doctor who is seen regularly stretching in a hallway, using ergonomic equipment, or attending ergonomic training is more likely to be emulated by their staff; it’s a little awkward to be the only one not stretching!
Physical burnout rarely starts with words—it starts with body language. By noticing these nonverbal signs, leaders can protect themselves, their team, and their practice profitability with support to retain valuable team members.
Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Clinical Insights newsletter, a publication of the Endeavor Business Media Dental Group. Read more articles and subscribe.
References
- Saccucci M, Zumbo G, Mercuri P, et al. Musculoskeletal disorders related to dental hygienist profession. Int J Dent Hyg. 2022;20(3):571-579. doi:10.1111/idh.12596
- Boskamp E. 25+ crucial average cost per hire facts [2023]: all cost of hiring statistics. Zippia. February 16, 2023. https://www.zippia.com/advice/cost-of-hiring-statistics-average-cost-per-hire/
- Setiawati F, Hapsari EM, Khairinisa S, Novrinda H, Adiatman M, Darwita RR. Factors related to dental ergonomics practice among Indonesian dentists. Int J Dent Hyg. 2025;23(2):346-352. doi:10.1111/idh.12850
- Lin S, Tsai CC, Liu X, Wu Z, Zeng X. Effectiveness of participatory ergonomic interventions on musculoskeletal disorders and work ability among young dental professionals: a cluster-randomized controlled trail. J Occup Health. 2022;64(1):e12330. doi:10.1002/1348-9585.12330
