Beyond clinical skills: Mindfulness prepares the next generation of orofacial pain specialists

Treating chronic pain requires more than technical expertise. It requires patience, empathy and the ability to care for patients whose pain is often intertwined with stress, trauma and emotional distress. At the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, one required course is helping residents develop those skills, not only for their patients but for themselves.

Every resident in the School of Dentistry's Orofacial Pain Residency Program completes a mindfulness course through the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing. Introduced after the COVID-19 pandemic, the self-paced course was designed to support residents navigating the emotional demands of caring for patients with chronic pain while reinforcing the program's whole-person approach to care.

For Shanti Kaimal, BDS, MS, clinical associate professor and graduate program director of the Orofacial Pain Residency Program, the idea grew out of conversations with colleagues across the country.

"COVID was really hard on our residents," Kaimal recalled. "They were overwhelmed by the comprehensive history-taking, the exam and the burden of documentation. It's also hard to listen to pain patients five days a week." 

As program directors discussed the challenges their residents were facing, Kaimal began searching for resources that could provide meaningful support without adding to an already demanding schedule. She partnered with the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing to incorporate an online, self-paced mindfulness course into the residency curriculum. 

The decision reflects the unique nature of orofacial pain as a specialty. Recognized by the American Dental Association as its 12th dental specialty in 2020, orofacial pain focuses on diagnosing and treating pain disorders affecting the head, neck and jaw, including temporomandibular disorders (TMD), headaches, neuralgias and sleep-related breathing disorders. Many patients arrive after seeing multiple providers without finding lasting relief, often carrying not only chronic pain but significant emotional burdens as well. 

"At the University, we see the worst of the worst," Kaimal said, referring to the complex cases managed within the residency program. 

For second-year resident Olivia Ley, DDS ’25, the inclusion of mindfulness in the curriculum immediately stood out. "I was really appreciative that the school was doing things to prioritize and protect our mental health and wellbeing, especially knowing how challenging residency can be," she pointed out. "Orofacial pain can be an extremely emotionally exhausting field due to the types of conditions we deal with." 

The course itself is intentionally flexible. Residents complete six weeks of online modules at their own pace, allowing them to engage with videos, readings and practical exercises without adding unnecessary pressure during an already rigorous residency. 

For Ley, one simple exercise became part of her daily routine. A grounding technique involving the fingertips has remained with her long after completing the course. "Every time I feel anxiety or acute panic start to creep in, which can be frequent in residency, I use this technique and it has been extremely helpful," she shared. 

The benefits extend well beyond managing stress. Residents in the Orofacial Pain program treat patients using a biopsychosocial model, recognizing that chronic pain is influenced by biological, psychological and social factors. Mindfulness helps future specialists better understand those connections while giving them practical tools they can share with patients.

"Being able to offer mindfulness practices to my patients has helped me treat the patient more completely following that model and can lead to better patient outcomes," Ley noted. 

Kaimal has seen similar results across the program. "The general consensus is that it's been helpful," she said. "Residents also share these stress management tools with their patients." 

That emphasis on caring for both patients and providers reflects a broader educational philosophy at the School of Dentistry. Rather than viewing resilience as something clinicians must develop on their own, the program intentionally teaches strategies that residents can carry throughout their careers. "I want them to graduate as whole, healthy people," Kaimal emphasized. 

For Ley, that perspective changed how she thinks about whole-person care. "It is one thing to tell a patient about the importance of mindfulness, but it is an entirely different thing to actually give them real ways to practice mindfulness in their own life and how it can improve their pain experience," she added. 

She also believes the experience has implications beyond orofacial pain. "Provider burnout is such a huge issue," Ley said. "Teaching these practices to healthcare students early on so that they become a natural part of their day-to-day could improve the mental wellbeing of providers." 

As oral health care continues to evolve, the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry is preparing future specialists not only to diagnose and treat complex conditions but also to support patients through some of their most challenging moments. By integrating mindfulness into clinical education, the Orofacial Pain Residency Program demonstrates that exceptional care begins with healthy, compassionate clinicians, an approach that continues to distinguish the School's commitment to educating the whole provider as well as treating the whole person.