Patient Preferences for Practitioner Gender Across Specific Dental Procedures

Objectives: Given the changing demographics of the dental workforce, this study was designed to assess preferences for male and female practitioners. It was expected that because female practitioners still are in the minority, although a growing one, within the dental field, there will be patient preference towards male practitioners for some procedures. It was predicted, nevertheless, that preferences for female practitioners would be observed when considering other specific dental procedures. Methods: Surveys were distributed in seven private practice dental office waiting rooms in Mid-Atlantic states. Preferences for dentist gender were elicited for nine different procedures. Rating of dental fear was assessed with the omnibus Dental Fear Survey item. Participants were 346 individuals (69% women) with an average age of 43.2 years. Results: As expected, patients reported prior experience almost exclusively with male dentists. Overall, female and male practitioners were preferred equally. When specific dental procedures were considered individually, however, female dentists were preferred for those techniques considered to be auxiliary, including prophylaxis and radiographs. Female dentists also were favored for procedures in cosmetics and pediatric dentistry. Preferences for male dentists were seen for extractions, root canal therapy, and implants. Procedures with a male practitioner preference were those requiring more technical skill. Conclusion: Taken as a whole, the patients endorsed sex role stereotypic beliefs such as male dentists being more suited for oral surgery, and female dentists being more suited to work with children. While women patients reported higher levels of dental fear, men were found to believe more strongly that female dentists are particularly considerate of fearful patients. Gender preferences were found for specific procedures, but not for dental care in general, suggesting specific stereotyping.