From Burnout in Dentistry to Hope: Esther Shirin’s Inspiring Journey Back to Practice

Member of the Month | Esther Shirin

At The Female Dentist, we believe that every woman in dentistry has a story worth sharing. This month, we are honoured to feature Esther Shirin, whose remarkable journey highlights the importance of recognising burnout in dentistry, prioritising dentist wellbeing, and finding hope even in life’s darkest moments.

Esther’s story is one of professional success, devastating personal loss, remarkable healing and renewed purpose. It is a powerful reminder that recovery is possible and that, no matter how difficult the journey becomes, there is always hope.

Building a Successful Career in Dentistry

By Christmas 2016, Esther had built the life she had always dreamed of. Happily married for more than 20 years and the proud mother of two daughters, she owned a successful two-surgery dental practice in a picturesque village in the Pennines.

Over 11 years, she transformed the practice from the ground up, investing in state-of-the-art technology, including a 3D CEREC system, while creating a welcoming environment for both patients and her team. Specialising in removable prosthetics, Esther built lasting relationships with patients who valued her compassionate approach to care.

A passionate advocate for professional development, Esther became a founding member of a UK prosthetic study club, collaborating with leading dental technicians and clinicians who shared her enthusiasm for restorative dentistry.

Her curiosity extended beyond clinical practice. She earned a university diploma in hypnosis, trained as both a Usui and Angelic Reiki practitioner, and completed diploma-level studies in homeopathy at the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital. Yoga also became an essential part of her life, providing balance, resilience and a way to care for both body and mind.

When Burnout in Dentistry Became a Reality

Like many women in dentistry, Esther was balancing multiple roles. She was a clinician, business owner, employer, wife, mother and daughter, all while carrying the emotional responsibility that comes with caring for others.

In early 2017, after years of working in an extremely challenging professional environment, the pressure became overwhelming.

On her 48th birthday, Esther experienced the beginning of a severe nervous system breakdown.

The anxiety became relentless, followed by clinical depression. In an attempt to cope with the intense emotional and physical pain, she turned to alcohol, which rapidly developed into addiction.

Her experience reflects an issue affecting many healthcare professionals. Burnout in dentistry is often hidden behind successful careers, yet it can profoundly affect mental health, relationships and every aspect of life if left unaddressed.

Losing Everything and Finding the Strength to Heal

Over the following nine years, Esther faced extraordinary personal and professional challenges.

She experienced divorce, financial hardship, homelessness, the loss of her career and painful separation from her children. Determined to find healing, she travelled across different continents and spent time in 18 treatment institutions searching for answers and recovery.

By 1 June 2022, she had reached what she describes as the lowest point of her life. Physically exhausted, emotionally broken and weighing 18 stone, she believed she might not survive the year.

Yet that moment became the beginning of a new chapter.

A New Purpose Through Recovery

Today, Esther proudly describes herself as a survivor of burnout, trauma, addiction and profound personal loss.

She is now a qualified yoga and meditation instructor and works part-time at the University of Leeds within the medical and psychology schools, supporting undergraduate students and contributing to discussions around mental health and wellbeing.

She has successfully regained her dental licence and NHS performer number, enabling her to return to the profession she loves.

Her relationship with her eldest daughter is being rebuilt, and she continues to hope for reconciliation with her youngest daughter.

Recovery has given Esther a renewed sense of purpose: helping others avoid reaching the same place she once did.

Sharing Her Story to Help Others

Esther is currently completing the final stages of her first book, The Naked Soul, which is expected to be published on Amazon later this month. The book tells her deeply personal story of success, burnout, addiction, loss and recovery, with the hope of encouraging others to seek help before reaching crisis point.

Alongside the book, Esther is developing an online platform called Dr Esther, designed to provide practical tools that support health and wellbeing. Through short educational videos and online resources, she plans to help people improve different aspects of their lives using four key pillars:

• Health
• Wealth
• Relationships
• Energy

The platform will also introduce trusted experts in nutrition, wellbeing and personal development. One area Esther is particularly passionate about is the connection between gut health and mental wellbeing. After completing a gut health programme in 2025, she experienced significant improvements in both her physical health and cognitive function, reinforcing her belief in the powerful relationship between the gut and the brain.

Her long-term vision is to develop educational programmes that may eventually contribute towards Continuing Professional Development (CPD), allowing dental professionals and others to learn valuable wellbeing strategies from the privacy of their own homes.

Becoming a Voice for Burnout Awareness

On 2 July 2026, Esther delivered her first public lecture to the Oxford branch of the British Dental Association.

Although she admits she was nervous, the event marked an important milestone in her recovery.

Her presentation, “Burnout, Breakdown, Addiction and Recovery,” explored the realities of burnout in dentistry and the importance of recognising the warning signs before they become overwhelming.

She was joined by her mentor, Jon Burgess, who spoke about the growing evidence linking nutrition, gut health and mental wellbeing.

Inspired by the positive response, Esther is now undertaking professional public speaking training and hopes to dedicate more of her career to educating healthcare professionals about burnout, recovery and building healthier, more sustainable careers.

A Message Every Woman in Dentistry Needs to Hear

Esther’s greatest wish is to be of service to others.

She wants to reach dentists, healthcare professionals and anyone experiencing anxiety, burnout, depression or addiction, showing them that recovery is possible and that asking for help is never a sign of weakness.

Her message is simple but deeply powerful:

“If I can heal, so can you.”

Why Esther’s Story Matters

At The Female Dentist, we know that success is about more than clinical excellence. It is also about protecting your wellbeing, supporting one another and creating a profession where conversations around burnout in dentistry, mental health and recovery are encouraged rather than hidden.

Esther’s courage to share her story reminds us that resilience is not about never falling. It is about finding the strength to rise again, often stronger, wiser and more compassionate than before.

We are incredibly proud to recognise Esther Shirin as our Member of the Month. Her journey is one of extraordinary resilience, and we hope it inspires every woman in dentistry to prioritise her wellbeing, seek support when needed and remember that there is always hope.

If Esther’s story resonates with you, know that you are not alone. Together, we can build a healthier, kinder and more supportive future for women in dentistry.

---

Become a member of The Female Dentist