As in other job markets, women in dentistry are also conquering their place in what was recently a mostly male field. The pioneers of the so-called dental medicine started as assistants and faced many prejudices and machismo to become protagonists of their careers.

Women make up 19% of dentists in the USA. Today’s dental surgeons are also strong and determined women. And, if they do not find the same resistance as their predecessors to attend graduation, they still need to impose their competence to achieve salary gains equal to those of their male colleagues. They also need to overcome gender issues that interfere in the office’s day-to-day activities.

In our article today, we will talk about women in dentistry, revealing the history of female participation in what is one of the essential areas of the health market. We hope to inspire you with good reasons for you to realize the dream of opening your dental clinic.

A Brief History of Women in Dentistry

Emeline Roberts Jones is considered America’s first dentist, having started in the profession in 1854, at the age of 17, after her marriage to Dr. Daniel Albion Jones, in Connecticut. However, it was only after 34 years of practice that she was recognized as a member of the Connecticut State Dental Society in 1912.

Another pioneer of dentistry was Lucy Beaman Hobbs, a contemporary of Emeline, but a New York resident. She graduated with a schoolmaster at the age of 16 and tried unsuccessfully for a place at the newly created Ohio College of Dental Surgery (OCDS). At the time, women were not admitted as students.

Without giving up on the dream, Lucy asked several dentists in the Cincinnati region for employment and managed to get hired as a private student.

Who Are Today’s Women In Brazilian Dentistry?

Machismo made it difficult for women to enter dentistry courses, but it could not prevent them from following their path. Over the centuries, they opened the doors of dental schools and became the majority.

Currently, they maintain their domain. There are more women registered as dentists than before.  And they are very young. Most professionals are between 26 and 35 years old. Only in the age group above 56 years do men make up the majority of trained professionals.

Just like the other profession, most women who undertake the dentistry profession have completed higher education.

What Are The Challenges For Women In Dentistry?

Dental professionals face the same gender dilemmas as women in other areas.

Even though they have overcome the difficulties of access to knowledge faced by their predecessors, dentists today still need to fight for the equalization of positions and salaries with their male colleagues.

Even though they have the same level of education and responsibility as men, women earn, on average, 34% less than they do.

Sexist practices also expose dentists. Like most women, they also have to deal with harassment from colleagues and clients, sometimes restricting late office hours in their offices for security reasons.

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