The importance of gender equality in dentistry

What has your career journey been like? 

As an undergraduate student, I knew I wanted to follow a hospital career pathway. After my vocational training year, I carried out several hospital posts as a Senior House Officer/ DCT in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Radiology, Paediatric Dentistry, Oral Surgery and Oral Medicine. Following this, I applied for specialty training in Orthodontics in Leeds, which led to the Membership in Orthodontics (MOrth) qualification in 2016.

As a specialty trainee, I researched auto transplantation of teeth for my MSc project.  

When I finished my specialty training, I spent two years as an Associate Specialist in Kettering hospital alongside working in a Specialist Orthodontic practice. I decided to do further training to be a Consultant in Birmingham, leading to the ISFE which I completed in 2021. Since then, I have been working part-time as a consultant and part-time in Specialist Orthodontic practice.

What challenges have you have faced? 

As a trainee, trying to manage the workload and maintain a healthy work-life balance was tricky. Working full time while doing an MSc required excellent time management! In more recent years, there are many challenges hospital services face, such as limitations on what we can offer due to financial pressures, which can impact on the standard of care for our patients.

One of the main challenges of my career has been overcoming an injury after my first year in speciality training. This was a pivotal moment for me as I was told I may not be able to return to dentistry following a road traffic accident. I taught myself to be left-handed during my recovery so I could become ambidextrous. Thankfully, I made a full recovery and look back on that time as a period that shaped my resilience and determination to fulfil my career goals.

What are the challenges specifically facing women in dentistry? 

In some specialities and departments, men have historically occupied senior roles. This has created challenges for women to enter those spaces. As more women embark upon speciality training and there are increasing numbers of female undergraduate students in dental schools, we are now seeing an increase in females taking on leadership roles, especially in hospital departments. 

This has certainly improved the ratio, but there is still scope for further progress. We need to create a dynamic in which women feel supported to go into more leadership roles, and openly advocate for women to challenge disrespect in the workplace. As we encourage women to take on senior roles, we must ensure it comes with respect and empowerment.

How have we supported you during challenges in your career? 

The BDA team has been extremely supportive, and I felt encouraged to take on the role of Chair of the Central Committee for Hospital Dental Services (CCDHS) when I was nominated, which I hope has helped to contribute to a change in the impression of what leadership roles can look like.  

There has previously been no female chair for this committee. I have really enjoyed my time as chair and I’m proud of the work we have done so far.

How is your experience as the first female chair of the CCDHS? 

My experience has been incredibly positive. It is a privilege for me to be the first female chair, and everyone has been very encouraging and supportive. It did take time to adjust, as I have been on several committees before, but never in such a prominent position. However, the support played a big part in my decision to accept the nomination and gave me the confidence to take on the role. 

There is a good balance of male and female colleagues within the executive and the CCDHS. As my predecessors have all been male, this gave me determination continue their legacy and hard work, showing that a woman can take on that role too.

How can we encourage more women to take leadership roles? 

A great first step would be showing support and appreciation for women already holding leadership positions. Providing a space in which women feel confident and supported is so important. We need to encourage younger women to pursue their career aspirations. If young women feel supported, they will be more likely to pursue leadership roles.

Showing that women not only can hold leadership roles, but are fully supported to do so, will encourage more women to strive for them. It is about breaking the trend, showing that the typical face of dentistry can be more diverse. Breaking the barriers of inequality can be difficult, but we must champion for change and ensure everyone feels advocated for and represented.