['Young women and lady dentists': training, degrees, and the market in the first decades of the Republic].

Since the 1980s, more women than men have graduated from Brazil's dentistry schools, yet little has been written about women's access to the profession. This article provides background information useful in analyzing the training and professional roles of women dentists in Brazil during the first years of the Republic; discusses the relation between changes in the profession, health policies, and the gender system during that period; and contributes to the discussion on the feminization of the profession. The article is part of a broader project investigating training, professional roles, and the labor market in the health field in São Paulo.