Method Postal questionnaire survey of a 1 in 10 sample of individuals taken from the General Dental Council register.

Results Female dental practitioners occupy lower positions in the employment hierarchies of the Community Dental Service and the Hospital Dental Service. Women general dental practitioners are significantly less likely to be sole proprietor of, or a partner in, a general practice. Ownership of a general practice is related to: sex, age, number of years qualified, number of children, and hours worked. Consultants in the Hospital Dental Service are more likely to be male, older, to have been qualified longer and (obviously) to hold more additional qualifications than their non-consultant colleagues. Senior Dental Officers and Directors of the Community Dental Service are more likely to be male, work longer hours and (again obviously) to hold more additional qualifications than Community Dental Officers.

Conclusions Differences exist between male and female dental practitioners in the positions they occupy within employment hierarchies. Age,length of time since qualification and the acquisition of additional qualifications are consistently found to differentiate dental practitioners' status.