‘We Are in This Together’: WSDA’s New Member Assistance Program

Free resources available to members for some of life’s biggest challenges

Quick Bites:

• The Member Assistance Program is a new WSDA member benefit that provides free support in an array of personal and professional areas, including mental health, child and elder care, grief counseling, homeownership, ID theft, legal services, and financial resources.
• The program was initiated by the WSDA Wellness Task Force to support dentists in both their professional and personal lives.
• Mental health services — the centerpiece of the new program — are provided through First Choice Health Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Services are confidential and follow all federal and state privacy laws.
• Members can access up to three (3) free sessions per issue per year.
• Coverage also extends to a WSDA member’s spouse or domestic partner and children up to age 26. People age 18+ must request their own services.
• The ADA also provides wellness content, articles, podcasts, and tools through ADA.org/Wellness.

Running a busy dental practice. Caring for aging parents. Parenting young children or teens. Grieving the loss of a spouse. Addressing a mental health issue.

Any of these monumental topics can easily overwhelm an individual who may also be struggling just to keep pace with daily life.

For dentists though, the stress and anxiety of performing daily at a high level can compound the pressure of some of life’s greatest challenges. Providing clinical care can be taxing mentally, physically and emotionally. And statistically, burnout is particularly prevalent among dentists.

In 2024, ADA’s Council on Communications released a trend report that showed that 82% of participating dentists reported feeling major stress in one of these areas (insurance reimbursement, workforce shortage, patient attitude, patient drug use). Of that same group, 58% of dentists said they are considering changing careers or retiring early.

The sometimes isolated nature of dental work, combined with the demands of managing employees, handling insurance issues and addressing patient concerns, can create a perfect storm of professional exhaustion and burnout.

Dr. Cameron Randall is a clinical health psychologist and assistant professor of Oral Health Sciences at the University of Washington School of Dentistry and is a member of the WSDA Wellness Task Force. In a 2025 interview with WSDA News on burnout, Randall explained why dentists are at greater risk.

“People in most every profession experience job-related stress. But dental professionals may be at an increased risk of this stress and associated burnout for a number of reasons,” he said. “Navigating health care system issues related to insurance, record keeping, and compliance in an ever-changing landscape is also stressful. These unique challenges may amplify stress for dental professionals in a manner that is quite specific to the profession.”

Stress and burnout for anyone may result in exhaustion, feelings of hopelessness, depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, physical health problems, and — in rare but incredibly tragic cases — self-harm or suicide, he said.

“But stress and burnout are especially dangerous for dental professionals because these phenomena are also associated with poor leadership and team discord, increased clinical errors, and unethical decision making. Stress and burnout are associated with premature departure from the profession, which contributes to workforce shortages and access to care problems for patients in our communities.”

Unfortunately, one of the hardest things for dentists (and other health care professionals) to do is to ask for help.

To address the growing need for these services, WSDA turned to its own members to help identify and develop resources aimed at easing life’s challenges.

Creating Solutions

WSDA has partnered with First Choice Health Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to provide a first-of-its-kind Member Assistance Program — offering free, comprehensive support to members, their spouses/domestic partners, and children.

Anacortes dentist Dr. Emily Hobart is a member of the WSDA Board of Directors and is the current chair of the association’s Wellness Task Force, which played a vital role in developing the Association’s latest member benefit.

Hobart and her fellow task force members were inspired by the wellness programs in Oregon and Colorado, which rely on a mix of peer-to-peer resources and private companies to help members seeking support.

“The idea of the task force is to help with the overall well-being of our members. So ‘wellness’ is not just about your mental health; it’s about helping you in all the ways you can feel well, emotionally, physically, spiritually and ensuring you have the tools to get there. This new program speaks to that premise.”

After significant vetting, WSDA staff and the task force selected First Choice Health EAP to provide a broad array of confidential services to members facing work or financial stress, relationship issues, grief, anxiety/depression, life changes, trauma or other issues that interfere with a member’s health, well-being and productivity.

For someone experiencing a mental health crisis, finding the high-quality, confidential resources to manage it can be an even greater hurdle, said Hobart.

Many WSDA members, especially those in private practice, don’t have access to an employee assistance program, so dentists are on their own to find help for what can be a highly sensitive matter, personally and professionally.

“What I appreciate about this is that the Member Assistance Program is easy to use,” said Hobart. “You can call or go online, and you’re connected with a counselor within three business days or less,” she said.

“If you try to find a mental health provider with your insurance you may have to do a lot of vetting to see who you want to see. And if you are struggling, that’s the last thing you want to do, or are capable of doing. With this, you don’t have to put in any extra effort to make this happen,” said Hobart.

“We are trying to remove as many barriers as possible.”

How it Works

The Member Assistance Program provides 24/7 support to WSDA members, as well as their spouses/domestic partners, and children up to age 26.

The EAP program provides three counseling sessions per issue per year, including mental health, legal consultation, ID theft consultation, homeownership assistance, and eldercare/childcare resources and referral services.

Services can be accessed one of two ways: by phone (800-777-4114) or online (FirstChoiceEAP.com) and by completing the “Request a Referral” form. The EAP program is completely confidential.

Once a member or their family member reaches out for assistance, they will be matched with a provider that best meets their needs, who will reach out to schedule an appointment. Meetings can be face-to-face or virtual. A provider will be assigned within three business days of initial contact.

Immediate, “in-the-moment” telephone support with a counselor is also available. Simply request to talk with a counselor when you call or request help online; it’s confidential and in compliance with applicable privacy laws.

Through its partnership with First Choice EAP, WSDA is making mental health support more accessible than ever. EAP Clinical Account Executive Heather Pincelli emphasizes that while fear of the unknown is natural, the reality is simple and confidential. “There’s no need to overthink it,” said Pincelli. “We’ve made the entry point as easy as a single phone call. You don’t need to have the right words; you just need to be willing to give it a try.”

Pincelli said WSDA’s investment in the program speaks to the value the organization places on its members.

“It’s incredible to see an organization like WSDA putting their full resources behind this. It shows how much they value their members and their families,” she said. “Life is challenging and stressful and we need support at different points in our lives for different reasons. They really want the members to use this.”

Felicia Bloom, manager of Dental Team Health and Well-Being for the American Dental Association, also praised WSDA’s efforts in offering such a robust member benefit, noting that only a handful of state dental societies offer resources like WSDA’s. Dentistry is a rewarding but demanding profession, she noted, which makes the need for these resources that much greater.

“Supporting dental professionals’ physical and mental health and well-being is imperative for safe patient care and workforce stability,” said Bloom.

“Supporting WSDA’s members with a confidential, complimentary MAP program is amazing,” said Bloom. “Mental health is health. Challenges are on a continuum. Burnout and anxiety are common — but individuals’ challenges could spiral and become worse if left untreated/supported. WSDA is working to address stigma and providing a vital resource to members who might otherwise not feel comfortable seeking care when they need it,” she said.

“WSDA’s creation of a confidential Member Assistance Program is a fantastic benefit to members to support them personally and professionally."

Other Life Resources

As they say, life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans. This can include such unfortunate (and frustrating) situations like identity theft or exciting life moments, like trying to buy a new home. Fortunately, WSDA’s Member Assistance Program has resources to help with those moments, too.

In the case of ID theft, Member Assistance includes one 60-minute coaching session per issue, per year, and includes fraud resolution counseling, assistance with affidavits and fraudulent account summaries.

The Home Ownership Program helps members buy, sell or refinance a home and provides significant discounts. Support is available to first-time, repeat or investment home buyers and sellers, and includes help finding a Realtor or lender; downpayment assistance and grant programs; and a $1,000 lender credit toward closing costs.

Member Assistance Program’s childcare professionals can help with before- and after-school care, special needs planning, childcare and daycare referrals and finding nanny agencies. Eldercare experts can provide referrals for in-home care, back-up care and personal care needs; insight into retirement communities, assisted living facilities and nursing homes; financial and legal options and long-term care insurance.

“Honestly, any of these issues can influence your mental health,” said Hobart. “People have issues with the workforce shortage or working with insurance companies that are making them not want to do this job anymore, which is sad, because no one gets into this thinking you’re going to do this for a short time,” she added.

“Everyone is dealing with something — childcare, parenting issues, financial issues — and it can create feelings of anxiety or depression. It’s causing them not to enjoy this as much. We are here to be supportive of our dentists and help them feel their best — both in their profession and in their daily lives,” she said.

“We are in this together!”

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How to Access Mental Health Services

If you are in crisis or need immediate support:

• Call 800-777-4114 and request to talk with a counselor. This immediate phone support does not apply toward your free sessions and is strictly confidential.

To be assigned a provider within three days of initial contact:

• By Phone: Call 800-777-4114. Program staff will ask about your concerns and preferences to match you with the best available resource. This service is strictly confidential.
• Online: Visit FirstChoiceEAP.com and click the “Request a Referral” link. Complete the questions and it will be forwarded to an EAP staff member who will process your request. Please include if you have any special preferences in the type of provider you would like to see. This service is strictly confidential.
• Telehealth via Talkspace: Talkspace offers convenient, private virtual support by text, email, phone, or secure video. You can self-refer through Talkspace at talkspace.com/FirstChoiceHealthEAP or request a referral by calling 800-777-4114 or clicking the “Request a Referral” link at FirstChoiceEAP.com. This service is strictly confidential.

Learn more about counseling services and Talkspace telehealth through the WSDA Member Assistance Program at wsda.org/wellness.