Why are women in dentistry still facing so many barriers?

Let’s be real, if you don’t work in the field, you probably think dentistry is just clean teeth, cavity lectures, and the occasional wisdom tooth extraction. But here’s the thing: the reality of dentistry is a lot messier, and if you’re a woman in this space, it’s practically a juggling act with someone throwing knives at you. Women in dentistry aren’t just fixing teeth; they’re navigating a minefield of expectations, biases, and invisible labor that nobody seems to talk about. Why isn’t anyone talking about it?

Emotional gymnastics at the dentist’s chair

Here’s a question: why is it that when a woman walks into a dental office, there’s this unspoken assumption that she’ll not only handle your root canal but also your existential crisis? Nervous about the drill? Scared of the needle? Don’t worry, she’ll calm you down with a soothing voice and maybe a handhold if you really need it. It’s like emotional labor is a line item on her résumé. It’s just expected.

Studies have shown that women in healthcare are more likely to perform emotional labor, easing fears and managing anxieties while still handling the technical side of things. The problem is, emotional labor is invisible and unquantifiable, but it’s draining as hell. And while she’s busy doing all that extra work, who’s acknowledging the toll it takes? Read the study here.

Breaking teeth and breaking barriers

Did you know that women now make up about 50% of dental school graduates? Pretty cool, right? Except when it comes to running their own practices or stepping into leadership roles, those numbers drop faster than you can say "open wide." Less than a third of all dental practice owners are women. How does that make sense when the graduation rates are practically even? It’s almost like there’s something else at play here.

The barriers aren’t just metaphorical; they’re structural. Women face more hurdles when it comes to financing, mentorship, and getting into those high-value networks where decisions get made. Should it still be this hard?

The myth of work-life balance

If "work-life balance" were a tooth, it would be one of those impossible-to-reach molars. Everyone talks about it, but has anyone really seen it? For women in dentistry, it’s practically mythical. Long hours, patient emergencies, mountains of paperwork, and then, of course, life. Family obligations don’t exactly pause because a patient needs an emergency crown.

Most dental practices are built on rigid schedules that leave little room for life to happen. Want to go part-time? Be prepared to watch your career stall out. Want a maternity break? Better hope the practice doesn’t fold while you’re gone. It’s like the whole system was designed for someone with zero outside responsibilities.

Why are we still shocked when the dentist is a woman

It’s 2025. We have electric cars, drones delivering packages, and AI diagnosing medical conditions. And yet, when a woman walks into the room and introduces herself as the dentist, there’s still that flicker of surprise. It’s not always blatant, but it’s there. A slight pause, a raised eyebrow, maybe even the old “Oh, I thought you were the assistant.” Really? In this decade?

A study by the Oral Health Workforce found that female dentists are more frequently asked to "prove" their expertise. It’s like their degrees come with an asterisk. What year are we living in again? Check out the study.

Floss rinse repeat, the endless loop of burnout

Let’s talk about burnout. Dentistry is already tough, with long hours hunched over, intricate work, and let’s not even get started on patient anxiety. Now add the extra layer of emotional labor, work-life imbalance, and the constant need to prove yourself. What do you get? Burnout, plain and simple. Women are leaving the field earlier and more frequently than men, and who can blame them? If your daily routine is essentially juggling chainsaws with a smile, wouldn’t you want out too? A study found that 66% of female oral health providers reported frequent feelings of burnout, compared to 50% of male providers, a strikingly high number for both genders.

The future is female but it needs to be sustainable

Women in dentistry are redefining what it means to be resilient. They’re doing the work, both seen and unseen, and they’re doing it against a backdrop of bias and burnout. But resilience shouldn’t be the price of entry. Women shouldn’t have to be superheroes to survive in this field. If the industry wants to hold onto its talent, it’s going to have to change. Because here’s the thing, women aren’t just thriving in spite of the challenges; they’re reshaping the field entirely. Imagine what they could do if the playing field were actually level.