(PO-180) Sex and Gender Health: Tenets for Dental Education

Author: Sara C. Gordon, D.D.S. – Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Oral Medicine, University of Washington School of Dentistry
Author: Leslie R. Halpern, D.D.S. M.D. Ph.D. M.P.H. – Professor and Section Head, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Utah School of Dentistry
Author: Linda M. Kaste, D.D.S. M.S. Ph.D. – Professor, University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry
Author: Joanne Prasad, D.D.S., M.P.H. – Associate Professor, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine
Author: Mary K. Rojek, Ph.D. – Co-Founder and Incoming Co-Chair, Sex and Gender Health Collaborative @ American Medical Women’s Association
Submitter: Sara C. Gordon, D.D.S. – Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Oral Medicine, University of Washington School of Den

“Sex” and “gender” as terms, and their potential significance in clinical decision-making, are often poorly understood, even by health professionals. “Sex” is a biological variable, while “gender” is a sociocultural variable. Every person possesses a sex and a gender. Research continues to reveal complexities of sex and gender, and evidence of how these factors can affect all people’s health, including oral health.


Objectives: A main goal of the 2020 Sex and Gender Health Education Summit was to develop common guiding principles, or Tenets, related to sex and gender education for all health professions.


Methods: Attendees from many health professions, including authors of this poster, joined group discussions to develop sex and gender specific Tenets.


Results: Discussions yielded four simple yet widely applicable Tenets that can be used directly as competency statements or form the basis for discipline-specific competency statements in health sciences education including all oral health education programs. Tenet 1: Demonstrate knowledge of sex and gender specific health. Tenet 2: Evaluate literature and the conduct of research for incorporation of sex and gender. Tenet 3: Incorporate sex and gender considerations into clinical decision making. Tenet 4: Demonstrate patient advocacy with respect to sex and gender.


Conclusion: Oral health professions must act to truly integrate sex and gender evidence and concepts into practice. Education regarding sex and gender health should be a required component of all oral health curricula. While the field continues to evolve, these Tenets provide common grounds for interprofessional education and communication. The correct terms of “sex and gender based health” and “sex and gender specific health” are much broader than “women’s health.” Oral health is a significant stakeholder in the application of these Tenets. Consequently, ADEA and its members should adopt them and promote their dissemination throughout the oral health community.