123 of the 228 Registered Dentists in the T.R.N.C are Women

Dean of European University of Lefke (EUL) Faculty of Dentistry, Prof.Dr. Bengül Yurdukoru made some statements of the occasion of “March 8th – International Women’s Day” and addressed the women’s journey on the Dental Health Care Service.

Yurdukoru said that “March 8 has been celebrated as the Working Women’s Day since the beginning of the 20th century after the struggle of women to achieve their rights against inequality and discrimination in NewYork in 1857” and added that In 1977, the United Nations decided to celebrate 8 March as the International Women’s Day.

Yurdukoru: Atatürk paved the way for women to use all rights required to be human

Yurdukoru said that “I would like to commemorate the first women and professions that have contributed to the Dental profession due to International Women’s Day, as well as the women dentists who have taken important tasks” and added that steps were taken to include the women to education and working life in Turkey after the Tanzimat Era and that Atatürk paved the way for women to use all rights required to be human.

Yurdukoru pointed out that Professor Nuran Yıldırım’s research in the archives of Istanbul University Faculty of Dentistry was published in 2008 and added that according to this research Şaziye Hanım and Hatice Azra Hanım graduated in 1926 as the first female dentists. She also stated that in a newspaper published on 16 July 1926, the news of the first female graduates of the Dentist Branch of the Faculty of Medicine was given a place and added that Şaziye Hanım was also included in the news. Yurdukoru further said that there aren’t sufficient information about these two female dentists.

Yurdukoru: Ayşe Mayda is the first Turkish female dentist to be named in the World Orthodontist’s Guide

Pointing out that Dt. Ferdane Bozdoğan graduated from Istanbul University School of Medicine Department of Dentistry in 1936 Yurdukoru said that she served as a dentist until 1983 and died in 2005. Susan stressed that Bozdoğan was the first female dentist in some sources. Yurdukoru stated that in addition to being the first female dentist, Ayşe Mayda who graduated in 1941 was accepted as the first woman orthodontist and she was a student of Kantorowicz. Yurdukoru also added that Ayşe Mayda is the first Turkish female dentist to be named in the World Orthodontist’s Guide.

Yurdukoru stated that according to the data of T.R.N.C Medical Association, 123 of the 228 registered dentists in the T.R.N.C are women and added that first female dentists Dt. Gülin Sayıner (in 1960), Dt. Gönül Bekiroğlu (in 1963) graduated from Istanbul University School of Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry. Pointing out that Sayıner performed her proffesion together with his father Dr. Saffet Tanul, Yurdukoru said that Sayıner was the first women’s deputy with Ruhsan Tuğyan and carried out this duty between 1987-1993.

Yurdukoru said that, Dt. Şerife Ünverdi returned to Cyprus a few years after graduating from Istanbul University Faculty of Dentistry in 1977 and continued her profession and added that Ünverdi was also a Member of the Municipal Assembly and became Minister of Labor and Social and Security in the TRNC on April 7, 2011 until 2013. Yurdukoru further stated that Minister of Health of the TRNC Dt. Dr. Filiz Besim is also a Dentist and graduated from Ankara University Faculty of Dentistry in 1987. She also said that in 2000, Besim completed her Ph.D. in Dental Jaw Disaeses and Surgery at the same university.

Yurdukoru finally said that “I present my compliments to the female dentists of Turkey and T.R.N.C and to all women on the occasion of International Women’s Day”.