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Overcoming imposter syndrome in dentistry

BDJ In Practice volume 35, pages 30–31 (2022)Cite this article

David Rahman reviews the all-too-common condition known as impostor syndrome, how it can even affect high achievers and outwardly successful professionals and help you respond to it

As the crisis in UK dentistry continues to hit the headlines, you might expect practitioners to feel very much in demand and thus even more valued and validated. Yet many dentists instead tell me they feel something of a fraud, a phoney. For example, do you ever doubt your abilities or question your own worth as a dental professional? Do you ever think that your achievements are down to luck or just being in the right place at the right time? You may be experiencing feelings shared by an estimated 70% of people in at least one stage of their life, something commonly termed imposter syndrome.1

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References

  1. Sakulku J. The Impostor Phenomenon. J Behav Sci 2011; 6: 75-97.

  2. Clance P R and Imes S A. The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and therapeutic intervention. Psychother Res 1978; 15: 241-247.

  3. HR Magazine. Imposters in the workplace, 2021. Available online at: https://hrmagazine.com.hk/hr-news-archives/imposters-in-the-workplace/ (Accessed May 2022).

  4. The socially connected. Overcome The 5 Types of Imposter Syndrome. Available online at: https://thesociallyconnected.com/2020/07/23/overcome-the-5-types-of-imposter-syndrome/ (Accessed May 2022).

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  1. Mind Coach, Cardiff, UK

    David Rahman

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  1. David Rahman
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Correspondence to David Rahman.

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Rahman, D. Overcoming imposter syndrome in dentistry. BDJ In Pract 35, 30–31 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41404-022-1156-6

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