T O P I C S in the world of dentistry
TRENDING
T O P I C S in the world of dentistry
DENTISTRY DEMOGRAPHICS
FACTORS OF INFLUENCE
2018 GRADS ARE MAKING HISTORY
MORE FEMALE GRADUATES
RETIRING MALE DENTISTS
REALITIES & ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
Recalculating the Gender Equation
The Gender Gap ( gen · der gap / ˈjendər gap / ) noun
This year , for the first time in history , half of the students crossing the stage at their dental school graduation ceremony will be women .
The gender gap in dentistry has been slowly but steadily closing . In 1976 , just 4.6 % of dental school grads were women , and as practicing professionals , they were viewed as an oddity by both patients and colleagues . In some cases , there was even hostility . Female dentists who started out in the 70s report being chastised by male colleagues that by entering the dental profession , they were “ taking the place ” of a male dentist . Women endured surreptitious remarks about lacking commitment and were expected to “ drop out to have babies .” But , thanks to those determined pioneers , the faces of dentistry gradually began to change – by 1986 , the percentage of female graduates climbed to 22.1 %, and by 1996 , it reached 36.4 %. In 2006 , 44.9 % of new dentists were female . Two years ago , 49.1 % of young dentists emerging from training were female 1 .
At the same time , males are aging out of the profession and retiring , further shifting the gender balance .
The closing of the gender gap in dentistry mirrors overall societal changes and evolving roles for women who seek professional careers . Today ’ s women often want – and strive – to have it all . Young women entering dental school commonly report that they chose a career in dentistry because it presents a greater opportunity to balance work and family than many other professional career options might promise .
Even dental equipment companies are noticing and responding to the trend toward more balanced gender representation in the dental profession . Instruments that were once awkward and clunky in small hands are now designed to fit the female user .
Chairs ergonomically designed to accommodate a female dentist are readily available .
While we ’ ve come a long way , baby , we aren ’ t there yet . According to the ADA ’ s Health Policy Institute survey , male dentists in private practice still had a 38 percent higher median net income than their female counterparts in 2014 . Fewer practice owners are women 2 . Women sometimes find it hard to take full advantage of traditional networking opportunities that have enabled men to develop and strengthen collaborative professional relationships .
Today , more women are entering leadership roles in dentistry , but still more are needed . Some are becoming mentors and are “ paying it forward ” by helping other women just entering the profession find solutions to the challenges they face and sharing their own experiences .
Challenges remain for women in the dental profession , but a female dentist in the workplace is only occasionally met by a surprised patient . Female clinicians are less often mistaken for the hygienist . Females are able to secure financing and establish private dental practices while others are valued partners in group practices . Patients now have the option to choose a female dentist , and some perceive women as possessing precisely the qualities they seek in a dentist .
The gender gap is not a genie that is going back into the bottle . Gender equality is quickly becoming a reality in dentistry . That change is not only good news for young women seeking a career in dentistry , but in the opinion of many experts , it is good news for the profession .
1 . 2016-17 Survey of Dental Education – Report 1 : Academic Programs , Enrollment , and Graduates
2 . O ' Loughlin K . Helping dentists succeed in a changing paradigm . http :// theadso . org / resources / uploaded / media / OLoughlin _ ADSO % 202015Vegas % 20FINAL . pdf .
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