In the past, dentistry was a very male-dominated field. However, this is slowly shifting over time. In fact, the first female dentist was licensed all the way back in 1898 in Canada, but many things have changed over the past 124 years. More and more women are getting involved in the field and there are all sorts of different ways that woman in dentistry have helped the field to advanced to whole new levels. International Woman’s Day is here, so it’s the perfect time to learn more about women in dentistry!
More Women Studying Dentistry
As previously stated, dentistry used to be a discipline that was pretty much completely dominated by men. Over the past few decades, this has been shifting. In 2016, approximately 29.8% of all dentists in the United States were female. This is still far from the 50.8% of women in the overall population of the country, but there has been a lot of growth as of recently. Because of the increased number of women working in the oral healthcare field, there are also more female figures to look up to.
Changes in Patient Experience
Now that more women are working as dentists, many people have described their experiences to be much more different as well. Female dentists are often described to be more empathetic. The dental office used to be a place that a large percentage of people feared, but now patients feel additional comfort when they are in the treatment room.
Female Dentists Are More Diverse
Women in dentistry are more likely to come from a variety of diverse backgrounds, so there are much more cultural and language varieties as of late. Diversity helps to bring additional creativity, ideas, and experiences into the field.
Women in Dentistry Aren’t Just Dentists
According to the American Dental Hygienist Association, about 98% of the dental hygienists in the United States are female. A large proportion of the country’s dental assistants are female as well. Even though the majority of dentists are still men, this is not the case in other areas of dentistry.
Male and Female Dentists Work Differently
Men and women are different, so it only makes sense that this applies in the workplace as well. Female dentists are more likely to use words like “personal values” and “sympathies” in order to describe how they make decisions. As for men, “objectivity,” “logic,” and “consistency” are more common. Female dentists are also more likely to refer their patients to specialists than male dentists are.
Dentistry has come very far in the last few decades, and more and more women are shining through!
About the Author
Dr. David W. Cleveland is an experienced dentist who has been working in the oral healthcare field for nearly two decades. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery from The Ohio State University and is committed to continuing education to keep his knowledge and skills sharp. He works with a diverse team of skilled dental professionals at his office in Marysville. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit his website or call (937) 644-8822.