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Perspectives: Being a Female Dentist in Yemen by Dr. Fawzia

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In the Arabian Peninsula there is a unique ancient country sometimes referenced in the news today. That country is Yemen. Women want to share in its development and also fight for their rights, but there are barriers. The struggles I've encountered in Yemen, where I was born and grew up have made me who I am today.

Being a female dentist in a strict society where culture favors men in education, work and marriage is very difficult. In Yemen, men are superior to women and are expected to control everything. Most women only obtain a high-school education and those who live in rural areas do not go beyond primary education. Very few go to university and graduate. With God's help I finished my education despite objections from my oldest brother.

Under Houthi (the ruling faction in Yemen) control, many women have reported that armed Houthis ordered them to cover up and not leave home without a male relative. Some say that Houthi members kidnapped them and threatened them with sexual assault. Educated women are under particular scrutiny. Many Houthis view women as housewives who do not have rights to education and many sectors in the community. Women are raised to believe that they are inferior to men. These stereotypes translate into dentistry.

Most female dentists face gender discrimination in the work place. In fact, my manager often sides with the male dentists as opposed to the females. In addition, many male patients disrespect female dentists. I know my society's stereotype is wrong and backward. However, in order to change this, we must provide good education. I believe the responsibility should fall on the country's president. The president should invest in the education sector and in health. I hope there will be an enormous preventive health care program to promote awareness of several topics, including those that pertain to oral health.

In addition to the obstacles female dentists face, many people in Yemen have bad oral hygiene that stems from chewing qat, the leaves of an Arabian shrub. Chewing qat can destroy all the restorative work inside a patient's mouth because it causes multiple cavities and TMJ problems. Many patients are used to chewing for 6-8 hours a day. Since I work in a public practice I see a lot of poor people who do this and many of my endodontic treatments, crowns and bridges fail because the patient could not buy toothpaste and mouthwash to keep good oral hygiene. Patients often return with diseases, swelling and recurrent cavities. I also see a lot of rehabilitation cases (worn teeth) among female patients. Sadly, their husbands refuse the treatment due to cost, high rates of illiteracy and lack of women and child welfare. This makes it difficult for me to educate patients about oral hygiene and bad habits.

Finally, in Yemen most believe that the dentist's job is only extraction, and few appreciate the artistic work that is often provided by a female dentist. However, I still find male patients who want their wives to go to female dentists because they are jealous if their wives see male dentists. Despite all the obstacles and dilemmas that I face every day in this country as both a woman and as a dentist, I still do not lose hope. I continue my risky journey to reach my goals and to improve oral health in this nation.



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April 2024
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