A study of the career development of male and female dental practitioners.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to determine differences between male and female dental practitioners in the positions they occupy within their employment, and to analyse the correlates of such differences.


METHODS
Postal questionnaire survey of a 1 in 10 sample of individuals taken from the General Dental Council register.


RESULTS
Female dental practitioners occupy lower positions in the employment hierarchies of the Community Dental Service and the Hospital Dental Service. Women general dental practitioners are significantly less likely to be sole proprietor of, or a partner in, a general practice. Ownership of a general practice is related to: sex, age, number of years qualified, number of children, and hours worked. Consultants in the Hospital Dental Service are more likely to be male, older, to have been qualified longer and (obviously) to hold more additional qualifications than their non-consultant colleagues. Senior Dental Officers and Directors of the Community Dental Service are more likely to be male, work longer hours and (again obviously) to hold more additional qualifications than Community Dental Officers.


CONCLUSIONS
Differences exist between male and female dental practitioners in the positions they occupy within employment hierarchies. Age, length of time since qualification and the acquisition of additional qualifications are consistently found to differentiate dental practitioners' status.
Newton
J T
JT
Department of Dental Public Health, Guy's, King's and Thomas' School of Medicine & Dentistry, Guy's Hospital, London.
Thorogood
N
N
Gibbons
D E
DE
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002322:Career Mobility; D003149:Community Dentistry / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D003253:Consultants; D003796:Dental Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D003815:Dentists; D003816:Dentists, Women; D004499:Education, Dental, Graduate; D004651:Employment; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005792:General Practice, Dental / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010067:Ownership; D010318:Partnership Practice, Dental / Q000458:organization & administration; D012737:Sex Factors; D013192:Staff Development; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom