Gender Equality: Progress, but Work Remains

Writing this on March 8, International Women's Day, has given me an opportunity to take stock of the progress that's been made. I'm also thinking about the bold, decisive actions that need to be taken to bridge the gaps that remain.

In the past, we have seen the Liberian women's sex strike lead to peace and the end of their country's civil war. We have seen the Icelandic "Women's Day Off" and demand for economic equity reach 90 percent participation. We continue to see the global impact of the #MeToo movement. History has shown that collective action can rapidly effect.

I am equally struck by the Democratic primaries. At the time of the initial debate, the field of candidates had six promising women, including four senators, whose resumes and accomplishments were outstanding. Yet, they all seemed to be overshadowed by negative scrutiny and a discussion of their "electability." History also has shown us that a lot of bias comes into play when we consider what an "electable" candidate or a leader looks like.

So how do we move forward? International Women's Day's theme, "I Am Generation Equality: Realizing Women's Rights," is bringing together people of every gender, age, ethnicity, race, religion and country, to drive actions that will create the gender-equal world we all deserve.

Our own profession has come a long way in terms of inclusiveness. Fifty years ago, nationally only 1.1 percent of dental students were female. Dentistry, like most other professions then, was not very inclusive. Today, women make up the majority of student dentists. We have come a long way, but there is room for parity in our leadership.

In 2015, Dr. Carol Gomez Summerhays of California became just the fourth woman to serve as president in the American Dental Association's almost 160-year history. A strong role model and advocate for women in dentistry, Dr. Summerhays maintains, "There is still a need for female dentist mentors and leadership development." This underscores the importance of organizations like the American Association of Women Dentists (AAWD). What can women in dentistry do to press for progress?

• Take on leadership roles within your class, your institution, and organized dentistry on a state and on a national level.
• Consider a career in academics. You can influence and shape the minds of future generations of dentists.
• Become mentors. Behind every successful individual is a mentor who helped hold the ladder as she climbed to success.
• Organizations like AAWD provide networking opportunities and serve as great forums to discuss solutions for common issues that women face within dentistry. Also, there is strength in numbers, so let your voices be heard.

Dr. Teresa Dolan is another role model and leader in our profession. A former academician, Dr. Dolan currently is vice president and chief clinical officer for Dentsply Sirona, a major dental technology company. She has been recognized for her contributions to the image of women in dentistry and as a champion for diversity. I recommend reading an interesting piece Dr. Dolan wrote for the Journal of Dental Education, "Alternative Careers for Women in Dentistry: Impact, Innovation and Industry"; it spells out the importance of women in leadership roles.

Business leader and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg offers a broader perspective: "We need women at all levels to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women''s voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored. In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders."

UCSF is a predominately female workforce. To all the women here: Thank you for being great role models, and for advancing leadership and inclusion in our profession and our society. Together, let's continue to press for progress.