Examining sex representation shifts in orthodontic residency programs: A study of trends across U.S. dental specialties

Objective: This study investigated sex representation among students enrolled in U.S. advanced dental education programs relative to the U.S. adult demographic composition over 8 years (from 2015-16 to 2022-23). Methods: Sex composition of advanced dental students was extracted from the American Dental Association-Survey of Advanced Dental Education from 2015–16 to 2022–23 and compared with U.S. adult population for corresponding years (source: American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau). Prevalence ratios (PR) and 95 % Confidence Intervals (CI) between the two proportions of sex composition were computed, with ratios <1 and >1 identifying underrepresentation and overrepresentation of students’ compared to U.S. population. Results: Female representation in advanced dental education increased from 40.1 % in 2015–16 to 49.1 % in 2022–23. While females were underrepresented compared to the U.S. adult population in 2015–16 (PR=0.79, 95 %CI 0.76–0.82), they achieved nearly equal representation in 2022–23 (PR=0.97, 95 %CI 0.95–1.00). Findings varied across dental specialties. In 2022–23, females were underrepresented compared to U.S. adult population among Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (PR=0.44, 95 %CI 0.40–0.49), but overrepresented in orthodontics (PR=1.16, 95 %CI 1.11–1.22), dental public health (PR=1.49, 95 %CI 1.27–1.74), pediatric dentistry (PR=1.39, 95 %CI 1.33–1.45), orofacial pain (PR=1.39, 95 %CI 1.16–1.66), oral medicine (PR=1.39, 95 %CI 1.13–1.72), and oral and maxillofacial pathology (PR=1.34, 95 %CI 1.09–1.63). Across study period, female representation in orthodontic programs was ∼1.5 % greater than that of all programs combined. Conclusion: Female enrollment in advanced dental education substantially increased over time, especially in some specialties. The persistently male-dominated specialties highlight the complexity of this evolution, perhaps requiring more detailed studies of barriers and facilitators to female entry.

Duke Scholars

Author Flavia Penteado Kapos Orthopaedic Surgery