Brett Kessler, past president of the American Dental Association, on addiction, recovery, and why so many dentists wait to ask for help. Find a mentor or become one: dentormatch.com If today is heavy, please tell someone. In the U.S., call or text 988 anytime to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Brett says he has been in recovery for 28 years. He and Tiff talk about hitting bottom, rehab, burnout, the fear of losing a license, and how therapy and coaching can help dentists and the people around them. Betty Ford Children's Program (kids 7 to 12): https://www.hazeldenbettyford.org/family-loved-ones/family-program Dr. Brett Kessler, DDS, leadership development coach (Dentistry, Reimagined) Email: bikodds@gmail.com Full video with chapters: https://youtu.be/m_Pg5D5sDW4 Context: This episode discusses addiction, recovery, and suicide. Suicide has many causes. No known diagnosis does not mean no warning signs. Help is available, and help works. Licensing: Board questions, reporting rules, and confidentiality vary by state and program. Brett's Colorado example does not guarantee anonymity or a licensing outcome. This is not legal advice. Colorado: https://peerhealthco.org/confidentiality. Texas: https://txprn.com. Guest views and estimates are their own. Brett cites 82% of dentists showing burnout signs. The ADA's 2024 Trend Report found 82% of surveyed member dentists reported major career stress, a stress question, not a clinical burnout measure (ADA, 2024). Brett recalls a free therapy benefit that went unused. ADA News described free Talkspace Go and discounted Talkspace therapy but gave no usage figures (ADA News, May 2025). Brett says Texas removed questions about past mental health and substance use. ADA News reported in October 2024 that Texas made that change in 2023 and asked about current impairment instead. Rules differ by state. Brett estimates about 75% success with monitoring. A study of 904 physicians in 16 state programs found 78.7% licensed and working at five years (McLellan et al., BMJ, 2008). That is not a sobriety rate, and the study made no comparison with people outside monitoring, so it does not support Brett's comparison figures. Brett says monitored professionals are sued less. One Colorado physician program study found fewer malpractice claims among its physicians (Brooks et al., Occupational Medicine, 2013). Brett estimates addiction affects 10 to 15% of people. The 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found 16.8% of people 12 and older had a substance use disorder in the past year (SAMHSA, 2025). Brett recalls dentistry ranking as the top job before COVID. U.S. News ranked dentist No. 1 in 2015 and 2017. Brett served as the 161st ADA president, 2024 to 2025 (ADA News, Sept 2024). On suicide without a known diagnosis: a CDC report found 54% of people who died by suicide in 27 states in 2015 had no known mental health condition (CDC MMWR, 2018). #TiffTalks #Recovery #Dentist
