Gender Distribution Among Invited Speakers at the Italian Orthodontic Society (SIDO) Conferences Held Between 2013 and 2023: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Abstract

Scientific conferences play a key role in shaping professional visibility and recognition. Investigating gender balance among invited speakers can provide insight into broader patterns of inclusion in the context of orthodontic congresses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate gender representation among invited speakers at the Italian Orthodontic Society (SIDO) congresses from 2013 to 2023, identifying trends and potential disparities during this decade-long period. A cross-sectional review of the abstract books and programmes of the SIDO Spring and Winter congresses held between 2013 and 2023 was conducted. The gender, country of origin, affiliation, topic of presentation and H-index were recorded for each invited speakers. Presentations lasting less than 30 min, involving more than three speakers, focusing on non-orthodontic topics (e.g., dental hygiene or dental technician presentations) or held during sponsored sessions, roundtables and collateral events were excluded. Descriptive statistics were performed to summarise speaker characteristics. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the effect of predictor variables, including year of presentation, country (non-Italian speakers), H-index (≥ 8) and affiliation (non-academic) on the likelihood of a speaker being female. The Mantel-Haenszel test for homogeneity of odds ratios (OR) was used to assess whether trends in female representation were consistent over time. The predefined level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05 (two-sided). The analysis revealed a significant gender imbalance, with male speakers accounting for 77.2% and female speakers 22.8% throughout the study period (p < 0.001). Logistic regression indicated that the likelihood of a speaker being female increased by 6% for each additional year (OR: 1.055, 95% CI: 1.010-1.110, p = 0.015), while other variables such as country of origin, H-index and affiliation were not significant. The majority of speakers were from Italy (62.3%), followed by the United States (9.6%) and Spain (3.2%). The topics discussed most frequently were Interdisciplinary (14.2%), New Technologies (8.4%) and Clear Aligner Treatment (8.2%). A large proportion of the invited speakers lacked academic affiliation (36.4%). Although the proportion of female speakers at SIDO congresses remains limited, the data reveal a steady annual increase in female representation. Nevertheless, a substantial gender imbalance persists, indicating that initiatives aimed at improving diversity could contribute to a more balanced representation in the future.