The lived experience of dentists facing crisis: from suffering to resilience and growth

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the mental health and professional performance of dentists, creating multiple psychological challenges within this group. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, this study closely examined the psychological experiences of dentists during the pandemic to provide a foundation for designing targeted and effective supportive programs. This qualitative phenomenological study was conducted in 2020 in Hamadan, Iran. Participants were dentists who were clinically active during the COVID-19 pandemic and provided informed consent to participate in the research. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit individuals with relevant experience. In-depth, unstructured interviews were conducted with 23 participants. All interviews were digitally audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using Colaizzi’s descriptive phenomenological method. Data analysis resulted in 648 initial codes and 201 secondary codes, which were organized into four main themes and ten subthemes. The main themes included: (1) lived psychological and emotional experiences during the COVID-19 crisis (2), individual and psychological factors influencing adaptation and resilience (3), dentists’ beliefs and perceptions regarding the pandemic, and (4) experiences of growth and transformation following the crisis. The findings indicated that psychological–emotional experiences, individual characteristics, and personal beliefs played a significant role in dentists’ adaptation and resilience during the pandemic. Moreover, inefficiencies within the healthcare system and inconsistent policies amplified work-related and psychological pressures, creating barriers to service delivery. Therefore, designing comprehensive supportive programs that address both individual/psychological aspects and systemic shortcomings is essential and can improve the mental health and performance of dentists during future crises.