A process of femininity has been recently occurring in the professions, mainly in the health field. In this study, the authors aimed at analyzing the dental practice by women as regards the income, degree of satisfaction and problems they have been facing. One hundred female dentists from Araçatuba, SP, were interviewed and answered a questionnaire designed for that purpose, which contained thirty questions. The results showed that 87% are not the main source of income of the family. Among the interviewed, 38% have an income below R$ 1500; 44% agreed that the income from dental practice is not enough. From all, 78% considered themselves as satisfied with the profession, however 58.2% would not stimulate their children to pursue the dental career. The main complains are the low income and saturation of the profession. Concerning health, 50.5% have some professional diseases, mainly backache and varicose veins. It was concluded that, even though most subjects stated to be satisfied with the profession, aspects such as financial and health problems, complains and no recommendation of this career for their children demonstrate their sometimes unconscious dissatisfaction with the dental practice.
Women working; Women health; Dental education
