Dr. Shaista Rashid stresses that oral health is inseparable from overall well-being. For her, the connection is both professional and deeply personal. Growing up in Pakistan, Rashid watched extended family members lose most of their teeth by their 30s and 40s. While her parents’ military insurance gave her access to dental care, many of her relatives had none. The experience inspired her to pursue dentistry and expand access and education to underserved communities.
“Teeth are part of your body,” said Rashid, assistant clinical dean at A.T. Still University’s
Missouri School of Dentistry and Oral Health in Kirksville. “They shouldn’t be treated separately.”
Rashid’s journey from Pakistan to St. Louis is part of a larger conversation about representation in dentistry. Women, and especially women of color, remain underrepresented in the profession.
According to the American Dental Association, only about 36% of dentists in the U.S. are women, and fewer than 6% are Black or Hispanic. The gender pay gap persists as well: Female dentists earn roughly 75 to 80 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts, even with similar levels of experience.
Those disparities ripple into access to care. Patients of color are less likely to receive preventive services and more likely to suffer from untreated oral disease.
While dentistry has become more diverse in recent years, barriers remain. The latest enrollment data from U.S. dental schools show that female students now make up slightly more than 50% of incoming classes — a milestone that signals change. But in leadership, the numbers tell a different story. Senior faculty and administrative roles are still predominantly held by men, limiting mentorship opportunities for young women.
“When I was in dental school, I had one or two faculty women members I could relate to,” Rashid recalled. “I really didn’t have a lot of options when it came to mentors.”
The solution could be as simple as partnering with middle and high schools to introduce girls to dentistry, perhaps sparking an early interest in the profession.
Representation, she said, helps girls imagine themselves in roles they may not have considered.
“We need to encourage more women of color to get into dentistry,” she said.
On her desk sits a flowered mug that reads, “Women empowerment,” a quiet reminder of how important women’s education and well-being are to the work she does every day. For her, education represents both financial freedom and the foundation for healthy families.
“In my culture, education starts from the mother’s lap,” she said. “If the mother is not educated, then the child is not educated and vice versa.” When mothers understand oral hygiene, the entire family benefits, she said.
“We need to focus on women because they carry the information,” Rashid said.
After earning her dental degree in Pakistan and immigrating to the United States, she took a break from her career to raise her three children. When they reached school age, she returned to the profession without hesitation.
“I always had my skillset and training,” she said. “When I decided to go back into the workforce, I could.”
Her advocacy isn’t just philosophical; it plays out in her community work, too.
In St. Louis, Rashid works with the local chapter of the Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America, which runs a free weekend dental clinic. Students shadow professionals while patients receive care regardless of ability to pay. It is, as she puts it, “about doing the work and giving back.”
However, giving back is just one part of the work needed to make dental care equitable. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that Black and Hispanic adults are twice as likely as white adults to have untreated cavities. Low-income communities also face higher rates of gum disease and tooth loss, conditions that affect overall health outcomes.
For Rashid, the disparities are unacceptable. She sees oral health not as a luxury but as integral to general well-being. “Oral health is systemic health,” she said. “We can’t separate the two.”
Part of her role as assistant clinical dean is ensuring students are trained to serve diverse populations. By emphasizing community service and the ability to effectively interact with patients from different backgrounds, she hopes to prepare the next generation of dentists to bridge gaps in access.
As a woman, immigrant and leader in dentistry, Rashid is equally focused on her patients’ needs and on empowering the next generation of women to enter — and thrive —in the profession.
“It’s the overall dynamic that needs to change,” she said. “It’s about perception and bias, and that needs to change.”
Her message to young women is clear: Pursue education, embrace financial independence and see dentistry as a path not only to professional success but also to healthier, more empowered communities.
Related
link