Gender Differences and Predictors of Practice Ownership in a Sample of Ontario Dentists

To examine the influence of gender on practice ownership among Ontario dentists.

In 2012, a 52-item survey was sent to a random sample of 3000 Ontario dentists (1500 men and 1500 women) to collect information on personal, professional and sociodemographic characteristics. The resulting data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear regression modeling.

The 867 respondents included 463 men, 401 women and 3 people whose gender was unreported, yielding a response rate of 29%. Univariate regression analyses revealed that male dentists were 2.2 times more likely to be practice owners than female dentists. Dentists > 60 years were less likely to be owners than younger dentists. The odds of practice ownership were lower for dentists who preferred the ability to secure part-time work. A higher level of confidence in one's business acumen significantly predicted practice ownership. Dentists making concessions in their career to pursue family life were more likely to be associates, and those who perceived that their partners made concessions to aid in their career were more likely to be owners. In multivariate analyses, the effect of gender on practice ownership became insignificant, yet the influence of age, preference for career aspects, confidence in business skills and perceptions regarding concessions by self and partner persisted. Gender-stratified analyses revealed that familial factors significantly predicted ownership for female dentists, but not for male dentists.

Gender appears to be linked to practice ownership, but when other factors are considered such as age, preference for part-time work, higher levels of confidence in business skills and perceptions of career concessions, the relationship does not remain.