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Dentists spend their lives hunched over grumpy patients, all of whom would rather be somewhere (anywhere!) else. Is it any wonder we assume they have an abnormally high suicide rate? The Straight Dope cites a researcher named Steven Stack who found that a dentist's odds of committing suicide are 6.64 times greater than the general population. According to another of the Straight Dope's sources, only pharmacists and chemists have higher suicide rates in the state of California. But hold on -- not everyone agrees with these findings. Dr. Jerry Gordon states that the American Dental Association found "little evidence that dentists are more prone to
stress-related suicides than the general population." Perhaps the depressed dentist is nothing more than an urban legend that, over time, became accepted as fact. Nevertheless, suicide is still a very real problem that cuts across the boundaries of age, gender, race, and occupation. Over 30,000 Americans take their own lives every year. If you're worried about yourself or someone you know, please seek help immediately.
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