May was a month for empowerment through dentistry – in large ways and small.

• Dr. Tera Poole (headed for an orthodontic residency) became the first black valedictorian at the world’s first dental school (University of Maryland’s School of Dentistry), according to mic.com
  

Proposed emoji, courtesy of Unicode.org/ Rachel Been, Nicole Bleuel, Agustin Fonts, Mark Davis

• A group of new emoji to reflect women at work (dentists and oral surgeons included) aim to close the gender equality gap on a smaller scale, thanks to a pitch by Google employees in conjunction with the Unicode Consortium president.

Perhaps these quantum leaps and small steps will lead to greater parity in leadership roles in

Incisal Edge reporter Elizabeth Dilts asks women to weigh in on the whys behind their dearth in dental industry leadership roles.

the dental community (read more on the topic at Incisal Edge), as encouraged by various branches of organized dentistry, such as the American Dental Association, the American Association of Women Dentists, and through innovative organizations such as The Lucy Hobbs Project.

Or better yet, equality in earnings across the board, from dentistry to high tech professionals.

Here’s hoping June delivers another smile-worthy month of forward motion.