Existence of gender bias in clinical dentistry: A cross-sectional study on Perception and experience of dental clinicians at a private dental institute in Lahore

Abstract

Background & Objective: Gender bias continues to shape the experiences of healthcare professionals, including those in dentistry. Although more women are joining the dental workforce, unequal opportunities, differences in patient perceptions, and subtle workplace discrimination still exist. This study explored dental clinicians’ perceptions and experiences concerning gender-bias in clinical opportunities and patient preferences.

Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 110 dental clinicians at CMH Lahore Medical College & Institute of Dentistry from April-August 2025. Data was collected using a validated questionnaire (Cronbach’s α = 0.739) and analyzed through descriptive statistics and chi-square tests using SPSS version 26.

Results: Out of 110 respondents, 70% were female and 30% male. Significantly more females than males (57.1% vs. 3%, p<0.001) felt that the opposite gender was more confident clinically, felt males were generally more favored in dentistry (75.3% vs. 24.2%, p<0.001), reported facing some form of gender-based discrimination in terms of clinical opportunities or recognition of their skills(61.0% vs. 12.1%, p<0.001), and experienced patients requesting to be treated by the opposite gender (68.8% vs. 42.4%, p=0.009).

Conclusion: The study highlights that gender bias in dentistry remains a subtle but influential factor in shaping clinical experiences and confidence levels. Although many patients say that they have no gender preferences upfront but gender biases are still evident. Although patient education can help but cultural mindsets are not easy to change. However, encouraging mentorship, promoting gender-sensitive training, and ensuring fair institutional policies can help create a more balanced and supportive professional environment for all dental practitioners and reduce interpersonal bias.