Oral Health Next Gen

Among First-year Dental Students, Women See Highest Rate of Enrollment

Women made up 56% of first-year dental students in 2021 — the highest rate ever, according to the ADA Health Policy Institute, which studied the latest changes in demographics of first-year dental students in the Commission on Dental Accreditation’s Survey of Dental Education.

In addition, HPI found that first-year enrollment also increased among Black and Hispanic dental students compared to a decade ago, and decreased among non-Hispanic white dental students.

According to the fall 2021 data, 49.5% of first-year dental students were white, the second consecutive year when enrollment among this group was less than half; 7.3% were Black (compared to 5.6% in 2011); 10.7% were Hispanic (compared to 7.2% in 2011); and 22.5% were Asian (compared to 23.8% in 2011).

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