Women Now Outnumber Men in Dentistry

Gender inequality is something that has prevailed for centuries. It is not just the gender gap in wages but also the gender gap in representation in many industries. However, when it comes to choosing a career path, the question of which one to choose becomes more complicated when trying to find a field where women are given equal opportunities as men.

Women in dentistry are no longer an anomaly. Although women have always been involved in the dental profession, female dentists have always been significantly fewer than their male counterparts. However, changes have begun to occur in the last few decades, and both women and men realise that females can be just as qualified as males to perform various tasks within this profession.

The gender distribution of dental students has remained constant for years at about 40% male and 60% female. However, this distribution changes depending on what type of school they graduated from. Dental schools with a lower graduation rate had a higher percentage of females who graduated from their institution. In comparison, dental schools with a higher graduation rate tend to have more males graduate from their institution.

Now, for the first time in history, there are more female dentists than males. This report highlights a significant shift whose occurrence was recorded by the Sydney Morning Herald. An article that was recently published in the paper reported the latest figures, showing that women make up an impressive 50.2% of the total number of dental practitioners in NSW alone. These numbers demonstrate the peak of a needle whose point has been rising steadily for decades. As a result, the stated figure now represents a 34% increase since 1992.

This change is not surprising when you examine the factors that have driven it. First, the nature of the field makes it more attractive to women. This assertion refers to the need for a particular disposition to succeed in the field. Without too much generalisation, there is a belief that women are more prone to demonstrating this trait. There is a lot of speculation around that being the reason why women flocked toward more caring roles like nursing. So with the healthcare industry demonstrating the need for more professionals with just this bent, women are flocking more and more toward fields like surgery and dentistry.

Another variable that has made dentistry attractive to women is its relative operational ease. Within the bulk of medical fields and specialities, high workplace pressure levels and demanding schedules are the name of the game. However, most dental professionals find that they work in a slightly more laid-back environment. This difference starts with the working hours. It then carries on into the opportunities for advancement available to those within the industry. As a dentist, you will tend to have a little more control over how you allocate time within the office, particularly when organizing your patient appointment blocks. In such instances, you can safely plan to have, on average, 45 minute long sessions with each patient. Consequently, your long-term work schedule may be somewhat more routine and predictable.

These perks begin to present themselves long before you set up shop. They are also apparent during training. Dentists are often compared to other physicians, from general practitioners to surgeons. Unfortunately, among medical personnel and laypeople, those doctors who specialize in dental medicine are perceived as falling short. Yet this belief could not be further from the truth. Everyone who works in medicine is highly trained and gains tremendous skill within the time spent learning. However, unlike most other specialists, dentists aren’t required to fulfil internship and residency periods or experience the gruelling world of hospital rotations with trying shift schedules.

Beyond training and almost enviable work schedules, it may not seem like there is much to dentistry. After all, you are simply dealing with a part of the body many people tend to ignore anyway. And yet, the reality is so different. Like all other aspects of life, there is ever-present change occurring in the field of dental health. At the forefront is the emergence of newer and better methods of executing dental care. Most of these methods are driven by technological advancements. Now routine dentistry falls far from the old tropes of tooth cleanings and cavity repair. Dentists today are also exposed to and trying out new gadgets that make dental care interesting. And that is if they are not coming up with their own innovations. Such capacity for progress is proving to be an effective lure for prospective students.

With all these benefits and more, it is no wonder that women are gaining the confidence to venture into a speciality that has been male-dominated for so long. Furthermore, the trend seems to have gained sufficient momentum to continue on a path of growth. As a result, the more young girls and female aspiring healthcare professionals see that a successful career in dentistry is possible, the more they will venture into it.

So next time you walk into a dental clinic in Parramatta for your 6-month or annual checkup, take note of how many women you see that are there in a professional capacity. And as you get visual confirmation of the survey results mentioned above, you can rest assured that you will be well cared for. Additionally, you will be placing your dental care in the hands of experts whose significant skill and training will help you attain that megawatt smile.