Gender differences in the characteristics of dental services provided for children

The purpose of this project was to describe the differences and similarities in the practice of dentistry for children by male and female dentists. A once-mailed survey with a series of questions regarding the characteristics of their dental practices was sent to a random sample of 3,000 dentists. There were 1,154 useable responses (39 percent). Approximately 8 percent of the respondents were women, which is representative of the percentage of female dentists practicing in the United States. Chi square analysis was employed. There were differences in the practice characteristics of the male and female dentists responding to this survey. The female respondents were: significantly younger; had been in practice for a shorter period of time; more likely to be employees rather than solo practitioners; more likely to treat younger patients; less likely to do comprehensive orthodontic treatment and more likely to use physical restraints than their male counterparts.