EC Dental Science

The liberalization of professional regulations in Bulgaria after 1990 boosts the interest in dentistry and demonstrate a trend of “de-feminization”. This study aims to establish if and how the market relationship in dentistry impacted the long-term trends in the practice profile and workload of women dentists in Bulgaria compared to their male fellow dentists. This paper summarizes and analyze the trends based on a longitudinal study covering the period 1995-2011, focused on: Dental demographics dynamic by periods and mobility patterns; Practice profile pattern of male/female dentists; Workload in male/female practices; Family status differences between male and female dentists. The results show that for the studied period the general trend is: toward increase of the total number of the registered dentists in Bulgaria (from 4839 to 8,400) uneven distribution (1/3 are working in the capital city) and change of the male: female ratio (from of 26.27% in 1995 to 35.78% in 2011). The formula alone in own practice is the most popular and most desirable by dentists in Bulgaria ( ) with a slow increase of the group practices number. There are no significant differences in the pattern of practice by sex (more than 50% of the newly opened private practices). They work mostly as general practitioners. Their professional/private life balance is challenged. We can conclude that: Contrary to the general trend, in Bulgaria, due to social and demographic factors, the trend is reversed - toward "de-feminization”. Ownership and management of practices pattern of women dentists do not differ from that of the profession in general. Their practice profile and workload in long-term are impacted less by the market environment than the ability to balance their personal and professional lives. To recognize the comparable aspects of male and female professional activities pattern in dentistry in different social systems is necessary for predicting the social and professional dynamics and adequate investment.

 Keywords: Practice Profile; Workload of Women Dentists; Bulgaria; Socio-Professional Dynamics

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