We encourage your feedback and look forward to answering your questions about our articles.

Dear Chairside^® Magazine,

In one of your recent issues (Vol. 14, Issue 1), you featured a statistics column entitled “Women in Dentistry.” This article quoted statistics regarding the historical milestones and shifting demographics occurring between male and female dentists in the United States.

Dr. Harriet Seldin, who graduated from dental school in 1978, is quoted as saying that 15.9% of first-year dental students were women at that time. I further understand that in 1968 — just a decade before Dr. Seldin graduated — only 1.1% of dental students were female.

By 2014, I see this jumps to 47%. A Google search also confirms that 60% of dentists in Europe are female.

I have no argument with the statistic showing that 29.5% of U.S. dentists presently are female — but I question the accuracy of the statement that 2020 is the “projected year in which more women than men will be practicing dentistry in the U.S.”

I’m struggling to quantify these numbers. Simple logic would reveal that if the percentage of women graduating from dental school is now about 50%, all men older than these current graduates will need to have either retired or died before the percentage of women practicing dentistry in the U.S. can reach 50%.

I look forward to your thoughts on this.

Sincerely,
William R. Jungman, DDS
Escondido, California

Dear Dr. Jungman,

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts regarding our recent By the Numbers feature entitled “Women in Dentistry,” specifically the statistic stating that 2020 is the “projected year in which more women than men will be practicing dentistry in the U.S.”

We agree with you that it will likely take many years beyond 2020 for female dentists to outnumber their male counterparts.

Our statement came from a 2013 Inside Dental Technology article written by the late Dr. Connie Drisko. Although women currently outnumber men in dental schools, Dr. Drisko was a bit optimistic in her prediction.

We appreciate you taking the time to bring this to our attention, as our objective will always be to provide our readers with clear, factual information. We hope you will continue to enjoy Chairside magazine and will find it to be both helpful and an interesting read.

Sincerely,
CM