As with many other professions, an increasing number of females have become dentists over the last few years. In 2010, it was estimated that more than 20% of practicing dentists were women and it is projected that this number will continue to grow in the future. This raises a very interesting question: Is there a difference in the treatment methods used by male and female dentists?
According to various studies, there is very little difference in the way male and female dentists diagnose dental problems. One major aspect that does differentiate them from each other is how they structure their treatment plan according to what they find after examining the mouth of a patient.
Regardless of their gender, each dentist follows a certain school of thought. Each one has a particular philosophy that they believe in and a protocol they base their practice on. The types of treatments they recommend may look the same but it all boils down to their personal preference. For instance, there’s a huge difference in how male and female dentists treat tooth decay. When treating decay in-between teeth, female dentists often go for preventive therapy first if the decay is still in its early stage. They prefer to restore only when the destruction is already extensive. On the other hand, male dentists choose to restore teeth right away. According to studies, female healthcare workers tend to pay more attention to the preventive aspects of care while males are generally more aggressive when it comes to treatment.
Studies say that dental practitioners have shifted to using more preventive and conservative methods of dealing with dental problems. Male and female dentists, nonetheless, still have their differences when it comes to this. A good example of the differences can be seen with fluoride therapy. Female dentists prefer at-home fluoride kits while male dentists recommend the in-office kind.
Another important difference between male and female dentists is the level of patient satisfaction. Patients treated by female dentists tend to be much more satisfied. They tend to be more content with the treatment they received in relation to the cost and care. Furthermore, females by nature are generally considered to be more caring and expressive compared to males. Patients feel more relaxed and comfortable discussing their concerns with female dentists. Female dentists tend to take more time while explaining their diagnosis and treatment plan. On the other hand, male dentists are perceived to be people who get to the treatment part right away and even expect their patients to tolerate pain from the treatment as much as possible without complaining.
Many articles have implied that male dentists tend to work faster which makes them more productive than female dentists. They provide care to more patients as well as a greater extent of services. They seem to work more hours per week, see more patients and are more likely to work full-time. All of this can be due to the fact that, unlike their female counterparts, males are not viewed to be as obligated to raise a family and take care of their children at home. Female dentists might want to work full-time but their family life often hinders them from doing so.
-AA
