Sir, Professor Kay's editorial (BDJ 2013; 215: 199) highlighted the importance of being able to succeed in a career for which one shows both talent and commitment. It also stated the importance of visible role models and equal opportunities to rise to the top of one's profession. Professor Kay emphasised these issues from a female perspective and also promoted the potential for equal opportunities afforded by the Athena SWAN Charter which is managed by the Equality Challenge unit.

The School for Oral and Dental Sciences in Bristol provides an example of how it is possible to change the historic trends that are referred to in that editorial. We were awarded a Silver SWAN award in April 2013. While we are, without doubt, a school like those described (we admit around 70% of female undergraduate students each year and eight out of 22 staff at senior lecturer level or above are female) we are committed to the principles of Athena SWAN and a culture of equality for both women and men. Ten years ago fewer than half of our undergraduate students and three out of 22 members of staff were female; now 22/42 (51%) full time equivalent academic staff (across all levels) are female. We believe that we have an effective pipeline which is supporting female dental academics as they reach and maintain senior roles.

In preparing for the SWAN application we undertook qualitative interviews with female members of academic staff and one of the messages to come from that was that, as Professor Kay suggests, academic staff within dental schools are ambitious and keen to progress. However, those interviewed also reported that what was required was equality for all and it is this that we are working to maintain. Our action plan for the application was developed to ensure that we continue to encourage and support equality and our working group is in place to facilitate that (both our application and the action plan can be found on the school's website). One of the co-chairs of the group has done what is suggested by Professor Kay and taken part in two rounds of application assessment – without doubt, both here in Bristol and nationally, there is evidence that good employment practice is increasing for women who are working in STEM subjects in both higher education and research.