The work patterns of male and female dental practitioners in the United Kingdom

The aim of the study was to determine differences between male and female dental practitioners in the type of dentistry they practice, and their working practice, and to compare these data to previously published studies of the working practices of female dentists in the United Kingdom.

A postal questionnaire survey.

A 1 in 10 sample of individuals taken from the UK Dentists Register.

The data revealed that women dentists are more likely than male dentists to work in the Community Dental Service. Within general dental practice women are more likely to work part-time, to carry out National Health Service treatment and to specialize in orthodontics or paediatric dentistry. More women than men take career breaks, and the reasons for taking career breaks differ between male and females. Women take longer career breaks on average. However, differences between male and female practitioners in the total duration of their career breaks are largely accounted for by child rearing. Finally, male dental practitioners are more likely than female dental practitioners to report reading professional journals. The findings are analysed in the light of previous surveys of the working practices of female dental practitioners both within the United Kingdom and internationally.

The main finding reported here is that there are no differences between men and women in the number and length of career breaks taken, if childcare is excluded.