A little girl’s reaction to not having a female dentist says so much

A little girl’s visit to the dentist has ignited a fierce discussion about the importance of gender representation in the healthcare industry.

Author and screenwriter Alissa Nutting shared a story about when her daughter went to the dentist.

Her little girl was upset that there wasn't any female dentists who could take a look at her.

Some people quickly praised the girl for pointing out that there were no women employed in the office.

Others pointed out the importance of supporting women in all fields.

Some appeared to misunderstand the point, arguing that the little girl shouldn’t get her way simply because she feels ‘uncomfortable’.

And argued that the mum shouldn’t “pander” to her child.

According to the NHS, while conditions are slowly improving, women continue to get the shorter end of the stick.

Female dentists on average still earn approximately 20 per cent less than their male counterparts (£55,348 to £45,918). This is despite the fact that in the UK there are nearly as many women registered with the British Dental Association and the General Dental Council (GDC).

The situation in the US is more dire still, with just 34 per cent of the dentistry force by 2020 projected to be made up by women.

More: This gender neutral model just made history

More: The world's first gender-free clothing store has opened