Women in dentistry – women lifting women

Dr Linda Greenwall, of Women Dentists Network, celebrates the significant part women play within dentistry

International Women’s Day today (8 March 2021) celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women across the world.

Over 55% of all UK registered dentists are female and over 90% of dental hygienists, therapists and dental nurses are registered as women. Thus, it is an undeniable fact that women are a significant part of UK dentistry and globally.

The Women Dentists Network was established three years ago as a follow on from the Women in Dentistry Group. The Women Dentist network believe all women can embrace who they are, can define their future, and can change the world ¹.

How is it that women are underrepresented in all aspects of leadership in dentistry? Why is it that there are so few female speakers at dental conferences? There are so many areas in dentistry that we need to stand up and say what needs to be said and do what needs to be done now.

The pandemic has shown us that whilst there has been so much tragedy, we are beginning to see a glimmer of hope for the future in the post-COVID-19²world with healthcare teams being a priority to be vaccinated and the safety of dental team members being of the utmost importance. We have learned a great deal from one year ago at the start of the pandemic. Whilst we have to socially distance, we have also learned the importance of excellent communication and keeping our whole dental team safe. We are masters of Zoom conference calls and the strict new PPE policies and protocols that we had to rapidly adapt to.

During the nine weeks of lockdown last year when our dental practices were forced to close, we held weekly zoom calls for our whole team to ensure mental wellness, support and care for each other. We have also learned that we are all together in this world and that we suffer from the COVID-19 global pandemic. What we do impacts the lives of others. Thus we have had to be more compassionate to each other, more caring and more empathetic.

As a new immigrant to the UK in 1985, I experienced bullying in my job as an associate and many other issues. I found it difficult to find someone to talk to about these issues and realised that there is a great deal that still needs to be changed in our dental profession. As a result of this experience, I was one of the founding members of Women in Dentistry.

Together, we were able to make a considerable impact in UK dentistry, changing the law to permit maternity pay for NHS dentists and their co-workers and changing the law on gender based discrimination for insurance and pensions. There is more work to be done. We reignited as the Women Dentists Network three years ago and have newly launched our new website. We are a group of female dentists who came together to encourage our colleagues and friends to aspire to be at the forefront of dentistry because we have experienced, first hand, the challenges in developing our careers amidst busy lives, gender biases and multiple demands on our resources.

How does this impact the dental nursing profession? When women stand up to be counted, are courageous and step up for leadership positions, this service elevates and enhances the lives of all women. Women are social human beings and the importance of developing good relationships at work (in collaboration and communication) can support all females in the profession.

One such woman was Dr Jennifer Marion Pinder. In 1985, she realised that she was being charged more for her sickness insurance on the basis of her female gender. She had approached the Equal Opportunity Commission to support her case. Just as the US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader had to fight cases on the basis of sex, Dr Jennifer Pinder raised the question on the basis of gender. This law is now known as the Pinder ruling³.

The case was eventually backed by the Equal Opportunities Commission and they paid all the legal costs. Dr Pinder reports, 'I had been very angry that women were automatically being charged 75 % more than men for Permanent Health Insurance despite not covering pregnancy. Although we lost the case at that time, ultimately a case brought to the European Court of Justice brought a change in the law Gender Discrimination in Insurance is no longer legal. This was a life changing campaign for me and the publicity and support from some far- sighted women led to the formation of Women in Dentistry^4'.

The future for women in the dental profession

The dawn of the post-COVID world will see many changes for good. We have already adapted and made so many changes to our dental practices for team and patient safety in one year. We will continue to ensure that whilst we have a diverse dental workforce, we are inclusive, we strive to eliminate biases and a have equitable, more caring dental profession.

To find out more, visit: https://www.womendentistsnetwork.com/about

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