Press release: Number of female dental clinical academics more than doubles over the last decade

New data from the Dental Schools Council reveal a significant increase in the number of women occupying dental clinical academic posts, with their representation more than doubling since 2015. While this marks a notable improvement in gender diversity within the field, concerns remain regarding the growing number of senior academics nearing retirement, raising important questions about the sustainability of this vital workforce.

More women are in clinical academia

Dental clinical academics are dentists who combine teaching and research responsibilities with the provision of clinical care to NHS patients. The Dental Schools Council (DSC) has been monitoring the composition of this workforce since 2003, and the latest data highlight that women now account for 48.7% of the clinical academic workforce, representing a 30.4% increase over the past decade. Despite this progress, further efforts are required to enhance female representation at senior academic levels, as women currently occupy only 29.4% of professor roles. Additionally, the trend of less-than-full-time (LTFT) working has increased by 20% over the past ten years. The proportion of researchers working less than full time (LTFT) has risen to 68.0% for women and 65.1% for men.

Ethnic diversity is improving but barriers for Black academics persist

In addition to gender diversity, the latest data also reveals positive developments in the representation of ethnic minorities within the workforce. Specifically, the proportion of Asian/Asian British clinical academics has increased by 50% since 2014, now comprising 14.5% of full-time equivalents (FTEs). However, the proportion of Black/Black British academics remains disproportionately low, making up just 2% of the workforce. Addressing this underrepresentation is a key priority for advancing inclusivity within the profession. The DSC is actively working with dental schools to improve visibility and accessibility within clinical academia, promoting diverse role models and expanding opportunities for undergraduate research through initiatives such as summer studentships, mentoring programmes, and alternative pathways to PhDs. In addition, dental schools are collaborating to understand barriers related to protected characteristics.

Risks posed by an ageing workforce

A growing concern highlighted by the dataset is the increasing number of dental clinical academics nearing retirement. Currently, 20.3% of full-time equivalents (FTEs) are aged over 55, with this figure rising to 68.4% at the professor level. In contrast, in 2004, over 55s represented just 29.4% of professor level FTEs. While the ageing workforce presents a significant challenge, there are signs of recovery in early-career engagement. The number of full-time equivalents under the age of 36 has risen substantially, from 30 in 2019 to 80 in 2024—an increase of 166.6%. This growth suggests an arrival of new talent into the field, which may help address the potential gaps caused by the retirement of senior academics.

Standardisation of training structures is needed

The Dental Schools Council has been proactively advocating for more accessible and attractive clinical academic careers. In 2023, the DSC Clinical Academics Working Group was formed to identify and mitigate barriers to recruitment and retention across the UK and Ireland. A focus of the group has been considering ways to enable recognition and balance between the clinical, teaching and research work that makes up clinical academic posts. The DSC has collaborated with stakeholders to share solutions to strengthen the training pipeline, including advocating for competency-based, rather than time-based, progression. The working group has also drawn on valuable insights from various sources, including the Medical Research Council’s report on reversing the decline in clinical researchers, commissioned by the Office for Strategic Coordination of Health Research, as well as input from the Medical Schools Council.

On the survey findings, Professor Ewen McColl, Head of the School of Dentistry at the University of Plymouth and Chair of the Dental Schools Council, said:

“It is incredibly encouraging to see more women and younger entrants joining the clinical academic workforce. Greater diversity enriches collaboration, enhances the training of future students and researchers, and leads to more inclusive research. However, this year’s clinical academic audit results also underscore significant risks to the sustainability of the academic pipeline and addressing these challenges requires strengthened partnerships with national stakeholders. Dental schools are keen to work with the UK funding and training bodies to help standardise training, gain greater clarity around funding, enable more flexible research posts, and improve career pathways.”

View the 2024 Dental Clinical Academic Survey.

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Notes to editors:

1. The Dental Schools Council is the authoritative voice of the dental schools within universities across the United Kingdom and Ireland. For information about the work of the Dental Schools Council, please see www.dentalschoolscouncil.ac.uk. The data collected on dental clinical academic staffing levels includes data from UK dental schools only.