The number of women entering dentistry continues to rise, reshaping classrooms, practices and the future of patient care. What was once a male-dominated field is becoming increasingly reflective of the diverse communities it serves, bringing new perspectives, lifestyles, leadership roles and priorities to the profession.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we highlight the six female leaders who serve on the AGD Board, including trustees Mai-Ly Duong, DMD, MAGD; Bettina D. Laidley, DMD, FAGD; Seung-Hee (Sue) Rhee, DDS, MAGD; Deidre J. Snell, DMD; Amanda S. Sonntag, DDS, MAGD; and AGD Vice President Kimberly R. Wright, DMD, MAGD.

In the following story, they share their perspectives on why advancing women into leadership positions is essential to AGD and creating opportunities for a more inclusive future. 

Laidley: Representation of women in dentistry is vital because the role models students require in college and before can be inspirational when deciding on a career path in any field. Perhaps having a family member in dentistry led some of us to choose this profession, but many women need support so that they can also achieve what other women have accomplished.

Rhee: The representation of women in leadership within dentistry and AGD is critical because our profession has changed dramatically. When I entered dentistry in the 1990s, fewer than 15% of U.S. dentists were women. Today, about 40% are women, nearly 58% of dental students are women, and, by 2040, we expect gender parity. Yet leadership has not kept pace. Only about 18% of U.S. dental school deans are women, and 17%–28% of state and national dental association president positions are held by women. Globally, the numbers are even lower. As more women enter the profession, it is essential that we are equally represented in the rooms where decisions are made.

Sonntag: With women now making up a significant portion of the dental workforce, it’s important that leadership mirrors that diversity. Seeing women in leadership roles validates that our perspectives, experiences and contributions belong at the decision-making table. It also ensures that policies, programming and advocacy efforts are informed by a broader range of lived experiences.

Wright: I feel it is imperative that leadership within our practices reflects the workforce AND our patient base. Women are the driving force of many healthcare decisions. It's imperative that patients feel comfortable with their healthcare practitioner, and, for many, having a practitioner who is a woman makes that easier. 

Research tells us that having diversity within any group that makes decisions will make more adaptive, balanced and innovative decisions. AGD is not immune to this, and having many leaders with a variety of backgrounds helps to create this diversity. When young women dentists see other women in leadership, they can more easily imagine themselves in a leadership capacity, and that gives them motivation to join along in helping to shape our profession. If we don't contribute to this shaping, outside forces will definitely shape our profession, and we might not like what they have in store for us.  

Rhee: My hope is that my presence on the AGD Board sends a simple but powerful message: “If she can be a leader, so can I.” I never set out to be a leader. I set out to be of service. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Leadership, for me, has come through trial and error and through the support and mentorship of people who believed in me before I believed in myself. If another woman dentist sees a bit of herself in me and feels encouraged to step forward, then I’ve already succeeded.

Snell: That your voice is valuable to our AGD. We love hearing different aspects of how to progress our organization while holding onto the beloved traditional aspects that make us more like family, and many of the strongest families in America have strong, yet gentle, women as the matriarchs.

Sonntag: I hope my presence sends the message that leadership is attainable — at every stage of life and career. You don’t have to wait for the “perfect” time, and you don’t have to fit a single mold. There is room for women who are clinicians, mothers, business owners, mentors and leaders all at once.

Sonntag: What drew me to dentistry is the art of combining science with caring for people — and for not just their oral health, but also their systemic health. I am also a lifelong learner and love that the dental field is constantly changing, so I get to always be a student. 

As for being a woman in dentistry, there are unique challenges. I missed all of my midterms my third year when I had my first daughter. Within two weeks, I was making up those exams, knowing that my outlook was forever changed but that my perseverance was as strong as ever. I also learned from the grace I was given by my instructors (shout-out to Dr. Q at my general practice residency)! Never once was I criticized by my instructors for wanting to be a mom while in school (though I did receive some from my classmates). I am thankful for the support I received that made choosing to be a mom and a dentist possible! 

Laidley: My journey was encouraged early on by an uncle and cousins who practiced general dentistry when I was in high school and offered me a learning opportunity and employment. Many other women have grown up in families with fathers who offered the vision of this career path. By college, I knew exactly what courses I required for dental school admission. This in itself is a step up from most college admissions, and I recommend all prospective dental students try to figure out the prerequisites during undergrad to set you up for success. 

I worked for a year at Harvard Dental School in tooth transplantation research and was discouraged from applying there, but I persevered and applied and was accepted at Tufts Dental, only to experience the discrimination of male prejudice from most students and instructors. Three women and 137 men was intimidating and difficult to navigate without the grief that one must push against on a daily basis for four years, but, luckily, the atmosphere has greatly improved due to women's presence in these higher education institutions.

Rhee: Over the course of my career, the progress for women in dentistry has been remarkable. I still remember attending my first AGD House of Delegates meeting in 2005 and seeing only a handful of women — and even fewer Asian-American women. Fast-forward 20 years, and we now have had multiple female AGD presidents, board members, regional directors, and council and committee chairs. The House of Delegates today feels like the United Nations General Assembly! 

Yet challenges remain. Just a few years ago, one of my female students interviewing for a general practice residency was asked who would care for her children while she was in residency —something I doubt my male students have ever been asked. We have made tremendous progress, but our work is not finished.

Laidley: When in need of encouragement in an all-male school, I looked to AGD to provide me with expertise in skill development, continuing education and opportunities to meet successful role models. They provided the vision I required to fulfill my career choice and encouraged me to continually improve myself. The progress women have made in the profession is inspiring. There is no limit — no restrictions to success, and no limit to opportunities to learn from each other and meet amazing people.

Snell: Women have really been making meaningful traction in our profession to show we are just as capable of any role and position if given the opportunity, especially if the credentials are there. My proud “woman dentist” moment recently came when a professor I have always admired from my dental school days was recently announced as the first female dean of my dental school! (Shoutout to Pia Chatterjee Kirk, DDS, Dean of the School of Dentistry at the  University of Mississippi Medical Center.) I also benefited from Wilhelmia O'Reilly, DDS, my pediatric dental professor who took me under wing and help me find my path to dentistry during my junior year in college.

Wright: When I entered dental school in 1985, less than 20% of my classmates were women.  I was one of 12 in my class, and one of 11 that graduated. Most of the women in our class were just a bit older than the average age of our peers; many had previous careers in and out of dentistry. This has come a long way since then, but dentistry does allow more flexibility in how you practice than many other careers in healthcare. We have the ability to have our own practice or be an employee.  

Having my own practice and having the ultimate autonomy has been the best thing for me. About 11 years into my career, I moved and started over. At that time, I decided I would make my life work around a seven-hour clinical day. Working for someone else, I doubt if I would have had that flexibility. I did trade some income for flexibility, but it was so worth it. Being my own boss allowed me to join AGD as a volunteer leader early in my career.

One of the most meaningful inspirations I’ve received came from Past President Dr. Linda Edgar, who shared the poem “The Bridge Builder” by Will Allen Dromgoole. The poem is about building a bridge for those who will follow behind us. That is how I view leadership. I hope to be a bridge-builder — for the young dentist, the new mother, the mid-career woman who wonders if leadership is for her. My goal is simple: to leave the profession better than I found it, and to make sure the path is easier for those who come next.