Black Women in Higher Education: College of Dentistry
AUTHOR: Kafilat Agbaje
The Howard University College of Dentistry was established in 1881 as a teaching and patient care institution created to meet the growing need for dental services in the District of Columbia. Until the 1950s, the under-representation of women in the dental profession was because of significant barriers to women entering the field. This began to change in the late 1970s following the civil rights movement that led to the formulation of policies to promote the enrollment of women in professional health schools. This report examines gender representation in the College’s administrative leadership ranks. As of 2021, on the faculty, the number of male and female professors was equal. The dean and all of the associate deans were women. The author concludes that the significant representation of women in leadership positions at Howard University reflects a positive trend toward gender equality that should be sustained through policy and practice.