Women Now Outnumber Men in Dentistry
You know those old dental care ads, where they show the back of the dentist, brushing teeth, waving but they can’t show his face because of professional rules and all that? Well take that image if you wish, and replace it with a woman, because for the first time in history, there are now more females than males in the world of dentistry.
A recent article from the Sydney Morning Herald has brought to light these surprising figures, that women now account for 50.2% of all dental practitioners in NSW, which includes both dentists, as well as other types of dental therapists. This figure has risen over the years. In 1992, females accounted for just 16% of dentists, and as recently as 2014, 39% of dentists are female. That old ad is starting to look a little long in the tooth now, isn’t it?
It’s not hard to see why females are being lured to the field more than ever before, similarly to medicine. The hours are a lot more appealing than training to be a doctor, there is the ability to work up to owning your own practice, flexibility in working hours, since you are generally seeing patients in discrete time lots, often of just 45 minutes or so, and there is a feeling of helping out your fellow humans. Much as women traditionally were drawn towards caring roles, such as nursing, dentistry too is a caring role, but with (generally) a more prospective career arc and possibilities.
The comparisons to medicine are inevitable. They are both physician roles required with a lot of skill and training involved. However, dentists don’t have to go through internships, and they certainly don’t have to work crazy hospital hours overnight shifts while they’re on their way towards their final goal. This is a requirement, even for those who are wanting to be a 9 to 5 general practitioner eventually.
The fact that dentistry has changed as a field might also have something to do with it. Whereas traditional dentistry revolves around filling cavities, new technologies allow people to create their perfect smiles – which may be a very appealing lure for a student looking to choose their professional field!
We love that more women are going into dentistry and dental therapy – mainly because we have some strong women on our team, too! If you would prefer to have a female dentist, then you may request this option. We often find patients build a rapport with one dentist over another, so it can be fun to find out which dentist you get along with the best or you feel listens to your concerns most – since we recommend 6 monthly to yearly check ups in our dental clinic Parramatta.
Call us on 800 400 55 and book in with one of our great dentists at Parramatta Dental Avenue.
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