Issues for Women in Dentistry

Speaker Introduction

Speaker: Dr. Joyce Kong
- Cosmetic dentist, practice owner, and content creator
- Practicing for 14 years
Purpose: Discuss real issues faced by women in dentistry

Traditionally considered a good profession for women
Dr. Kong's family encouraged dentistry for its perceived benefits
- Stability, status, and safety
- Ability to afford a nice lifestyle
- Less life-or-death pressure compared to other medical professions

Physical Labor: Dentistry is physically demanding despite perceptions
- Involves long hours hunched over
Stability: Stability is a misconception
- Associates may lack job security
- Practice owners face business viability challenges
Status: Offers a level of respect and education
- Important for self-sufficiency and as a fallback
Economic Benefits: Ability to afford nice things
- Comes with significant student debt
Safe Environment: Generally safe with good working hours
- Financial viability for less hours worked compared to some medical professions
Pressure: Less pressure than life-critical medical fields
- However, dentistry comes with its own challenges

Microaggressions
- Women face challenges in commanding respect
- Leadership perception issues, such as being seen as aggressive
- Personal experiences include disrespect from staff
Maternity Leave
- Significant challenge for practice owners
- Pressure to return early due to business needs
- Lack of real maternity leave support
Post-Maternity Challenges
- Pumping milk while working is logistically difficult
- Lack of appropriate facilities in dental offices
Child Care
- Necessity of reliable child care
- Impact of sick children on work schedule
- No option for working from home
Taking Time Off
- Difficult to take extended leave
- Especially challenging for practice owners

Despite the challenges, many women still succeed in dentistry
Call to Action: Need for more support systems for women in dentistry
Anticipation of future changes with more women entering the field
Dr. Kong values both her career and motherhood but finds balancing both difficult