LONDON, UK: Seeking to show the commitment of the dental profession to fight discrimination and bias in dentistry, the Diversity in Dentistry Action Group (DDAG) has recently published a report on equality, diversity and inclusion in dentistry. The report urges those in the profession to listen to those whose voices have been under-represented and to take collaborative action to make dentistry more inclusive.
The DDAG is a strategic oversight group that was formed by the Office of the Chief Dental Officer England in June 2020 as a response to the Black Lives Matter movement, which has prompted a widespread discussion on race and equality and has encouraged some organisations to reconsider their work practices and core values. The group aims to unify the dental profession in order to facilitate the effort to tackle discrimination in the field.
The report, which was published in May 2021, lists the dental organisations which have agreed to take some key steps towards change. These steps include continuously addressing racism and discrimination, seeking and creating opportunities for representation and inclusion, and committing to organisational level change.
Commenting on the report, Dr Raj Rattan, dental director at Dental Protection and a member of the DDAG stakeholder group, said in a press release: “We welcome this vital report and are pleased it has been supported by a wide range of dental organisations. There is a duty on all of us in the dental profession to ensure we play our part in creating a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion.”
The topic of discrimination has received increased attention in the past year, and some higher education institutions, such as the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine, have already stepped up their efforts to make dentistry more diverse by facilitating entry into the profession for people of colour. However, there is still more work to be done in order to have a truly diverse dental workforce.
“An ongoing commitment is needed if we are to reap the many benefits of cultural competence within the profession and reduce the risk of ethnocentricity. This can affect the patient experience and may also have a detrimental effect on treatment outcomes,” Rattan concluded.
Editorial note: The DDAG report can be found here.
Tags:
A new report by Brandessence Market Research outlines the trends and opportunities for dental professionals to thrive in the industry. In an era where ...
LONDON, England: A new report published by the Oral Health Foundation has highlighted some concerning figures surrounding both the prevalence of mouth ...
Advances in technology in dentistry have rapidly improved diagnostics, streamlined treatments and made the dental chair a safer, more comfortable place. ...
LONDON, UK: A new report from the Health and Social Care Committee deems NHS dentistry “totally unacceptable in the 21st century”. The cross-party ...
LONDON, UK: A report published by the specialist business property adviser Christie & Co. has claimed that the UK dental industry is suffering from a ...
LONDON, UK: The London Dentistry Show is the city’s most successful dental show. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the organisers of the event ...
LONDON, England: The UK dental crisis is a highly significant public health issue, having escalated in recent years owing to continued reductions in ...
CHENGDU, China: ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered language model, capable of generating human-like text based on context and past ...
LONDON, UK: In the dental clinic setting, communication is key to both successful results and satisfaction. At a recent exhibition, titled “Heads up! ...
LONDON, UK: The Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future (ACFF) is a not-for-profit organisation formed by a group of dental professionals. According to the ACFF, ...
Live webinar
Wed. 18 June 2025
1:00 am UTC (London)
Dr. Ira Lamster DDS, MMSc, Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Jessica Lee
Live webinar
Wed. 18 June 2025
3:00 pm UTC (London)
Live webinar
Wed. 18 June 2025
4:00 pm UTC (London)
Live webinar
Fri. 20 June 2025
5:00 pm UTC (London)
Dr. Rishita Jaju DMD, Pediatric Laser Dentist
Live webinar
Mon. 23 June 2025
6:00 pm UTC (London)
Live webinar
Tue. 24 June 2025
7:00 pm UTC (London)
Live webinar
Tue. 24 June 2025
7:00 pm UTC (London)
To post a reply please login or register