Exploring the impact of household, personal, and employment characteristics on dentistry's income gap between men and women

Background: This study provides an update on the income gap between men and women in dentistry, evaluating the impact of dentists' household, personal, and employment characteristics on income differences.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the US Census Bureau's 5-year American Community Survey (2014-2018). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis (ordinary least squares regressions, Oaxaca-Blinder regression decomposition on logged personal income).

Results: Female dentists were less likely to be White and born in the United States and more likely to be bilingual than male dentists. Adjusted estimates indicated that male dentists earned 22% more than female dentists (risk ratio, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.29). Black dentists earned 24% less (risk ratio, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.68 to 0.85) and other race non-Hispanic dentists earned 17% less (risk ratio, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.70 to 0.97) than non-Hispanic White dentists, after adjustment for covariates. Dentists with a nondentist partner or spouse earned more than those without a partner or spouse, and dentists with 3 or more children earned 19% more than those who were childless (P < .001; 95% CI, 1.09 to 1.31). The income gap between sexes was $51,784 (in 2018 dollars); 27.2% of this gap was explained by observable personal (that is, race and ethnicity, bilingualism), employment (for example, hours worked and employee or ownership status), and household (for example, partner or spouse occupation and education) characteristics.

Conclusions: The dental workforce is diversifying, but sex and racial disparities in income persist. The income gap between sexes, although reduced over time, is now less explainable than in the past.

Practical implications: The diversification of the dental workforce is a promising sign for an increasingly diverse population's present and future oral health, but it is important that existing income gaps between men and women are addressed.