As women become the majority of dental school entrants, Dentsply Sirona remains committed to helping ensure that shift is felt across innovation, education and professional influence.
Behind every statistic is a story. Women now account for more than 54% of dental school entrants in the United States1, and the share of female dentists in the workforce is projected to reach 50% by 2040.2 As the profession continues to evolve, Dentsply Sirona’s approach reflects a long-standing belief that dentistry is strongest when more voices have equitable opportunities to contribute, influence, and lead.
Sara Mahmood, DDS, is a FirstTo50 alumna and owner of 6 dental practices across the United States. Photo courtesy of Dentsply Sirona.
According to manufacturers, the implications extend well beyond headcount: as women take on a larger role in clinical practice, ownership, and education, they increasingly shape how products are evaluated, how workflows are designed, and which clinical problems get prioritized.
“If the profession is changing, then product development has to change with it,” said Mark Bezjak, group vice president of North American RCO. “To design the future of dentistry we must have all decision-makers sitting at the table.”
Dentsply Sirona began addressing that gap by rethinking how and where clinician input entered the innovation process. Today, the company’s Voice of Customer panel in the US, which includes dentists, dental assistants, and dental hygienists, is predominantly female and provides direct feedback during product development.
“That balance matters,” Bezjak said. “When you diversify who’s giving input, different questions get asked. Assumptions get challenged earlier. The entire process improves the end result.”
The push toward equitable representation builds on a broader foundation. Since 2020, Dentsply Sirona’s FirstTo50 Women’s Speaker Development Program has cultivated a global network of over 100 clinicians and industry professionals, equipping them with the skills and visibility to shape professional dialogue at the highest levels.
For Sara Mahmood, DDS—a FirstTo50 alumna and owner of 6 dental practices across the United States—the program was a turning point. “Being encouraged to share my clinical expertise showed me how individual voices can shape better solutions and better patient care,” she said. “As women clinicians, our perspectives are essential to the future of oral healthcare.”
That commitment has also taken shape through other efforts to increase visibility and opportunity for women across the profession, including She’s Prime, a LATAM initiative that supports female dentists in building technical expertise and leadership capabilities through comprehensive workshops and hands-on training, as well as a continued focus on greater gender representation on major stages like Dentsply Sirona World. The company’s founding partnership with Women in DSO extends that mission further, offering mentorship, speaking platforms, and professional development to women across dental service organizations (DSOs). “The companies that show up as true partners understand that this isn’t about optics. It’s about creating the conditions where women can lead, contribute, and be supported in a meaningful way,” said Aman Kaur, DMD, founder and CEO of Women in DSO. “Dentsply Sirona’s commitment to bringing women’s voices into the conversation is exactly the kind of engagement that moves the profession forward.”
As the profession’s demographics continue to shift, Dentsply Sirona is a proof point that equitable representation isn’t a vanity milestone, or a pinkwashing initiative, but a golden standard for an evolving industry. For more information, visit dentsplysirona.com.
References
1. Chairside to Leadership: Challenges Women Face in Dentistry | DEXIS; 07/29/2025.
2. American Dental Association Health Policy Institute. (2025). U.S. dentist workforce, 2025. American Dental Association.
