The dental profession is undergoing a notable demographic shift. Women now represent more than 60% of practising dentists across Europe, more than 54% of dental school entrants in the US, and 75% of dentists in Finland. As women increasingly shape the future of oral healthcare, ensuring equal access to leadership opportunities, visibility and professional development has become more important than ever.
Aligned with its global sustainability strategy, “BEYOND: Taking Action for a Brighter World”, Dentsply Sirona continues to support women at every stage of their careers — from students and clinicians to dental technicians and industry leaders. This International Women’s Day, the company highlighted several initiatives designed to foster connection, mentorship and long-term professional growth.
Women in Dentistry Rise: Building community at Chicago midwinter
As a founding organisation of the Women in Dentistry (WID) Rise breakfast event, Dentsply Sirona once again supported the annual networking gathering during the Chicago Midwinter Meeting. The event brought together 350 participants — including dentists, dental hygienists, technicians, industry professionals and journalists — and featured two panel discussions: “The Art of Saying ‘No’ to Maximise Personal and Professional Growth” and “How to Thrive in Diverse Teams by Leveraging Individual and Team Strengths”.
To continue the conversation throughout the year, a dedicated LinkedIn page has also been launched, enabling the wider community to connect and exchange ideas.
“WID Rise aims to create opportunities for women in the dental industry to engage, share, inspire and elevate one another,” said Melanie Lecours, vice-president of commercial operations at Dentsply Sirona. “While the gender and ethnic composition of dental school graduates is changing, much of the surrounding industry has yet to reflect this shift. Our goal is to create a platform for meaningful connections that support the growing leadership and influence of women in the profession.”
Amplifying women’s voices through speaker development
Dentsply Sirona also supports speaker development programmes designed to increase women’s visibility and leadership across dentistry. These initiatives help clinicians build confidence in sharing their expertise and contributing to professional education worldwide.
“The realisation that sharing my expertise could create a ripple effect for better patient care worldwide was powerful,” said Dr Sara Mahmood, owner of six dental practices in the US and a participant in Dentsply Sirona’s FirstTo50 Women’s Speaker Development Programme. “With their unique perspectives as clinicians, caregivers and patients, women’s voices are essential in shaping the future of oral healthcare.”
Women in DSO: Empowering the next generation of leaders
Dentsply Sirona is also a founding member and long-standing partner of Women in DSO, an organisation dedicated to supporting women working in dental service organisations and cultivating future leaders within the industry.
This year, the company is participating in the Women in DSO Empower and Grow Conference, held from 5-7 Mar in Las Vegas, and plans to engage women practitioners in future research and development focus groups to help inform ongoing product innovation.
All images courtesy of Dentsply Sirona.
