Participation of female dentists in the evolution of dental specialties. A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective: To determine the participation of female dentists in the evolution of dental specialties in Peru and establish the gender distribution in each specialty. Materials and Methods: A descriptive and retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the National Registry of Specialists of the Peruvian College of Dentists in August 2023. The relative frequency of female gender and the femininity index were calculated in the total population of specialists and in each specialty to assess their respective evolution over the last 25 years. Results: Currently, 51.74% of the 3,827 specialty registrations correspond to female dentists, with a femininity index of 1.072. Nine specialties with a female predominance were identified, including Pediatric Dentistry, Family and Community Health in Dentistry, and Restorative and Esthetic Dentistry. On the other hand, areas with a higher male presence are Orthodontics and Maxillary Orthopedics, and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Upon analyzing the temporal evolution, a shift from the historical male majority to the current female predominance in the last fifteen years is observed, and gender parity was reached in 2019. Conclusion: There is evidence of a change in the gender composition of Peruvian dental specialties, currently with a female predominance.