Exploring the ethnic diversity of UK dentistry

Abstract

It is widely acknowledged that there are many social benefits to having a multicultural health force, including ensuring that there is less of a barrier around access for underrepresented groups. Despite this, certain healthcare professions, including dentistry, have struggled with the historical legacy of being conceptualised as a "white" profession and whether it is ethnically representative of the public it serves. This article examines the role and place of ethnicity in the dental profession in the UK. It will describe the changing ethnic composition of UK dentistry and highlight some of the challenges faced by the profession from an equality and diversity perspective. The current qualitative work of the author exploring the barriers and facilitators faced by students from an ethnic background pursuing a career in dentistry will also be introduced. It concludes by encouraging more research on this topic.

Addressing racial inequalities in dental education: decolonising the dental curricula

“…27 There is insufficient research on experiences of minority ethnic dental students in the UK, which only adds to these concerns. 28 Decolonisation of dental curricula needs to be considered in a psychosocial context. Racial inequalities in dental education have a negative impact on the educational experiences of students from minority ethnic groups and may contribute to poor educational experiences and attainment gaps, and pose barriers to career progression.…”

Black Lives Matter: the impact and lessons for the UK dental profession

“…Historically, dentistry in the UK was largely made up of white male dentists and it was rare to see females or anyone of a different ethnicity. 8,9 Today, although white people are an ethnic global minority, they still hold great power, control and influence on the dental, medical and educational fields. 10,11 Since 2001, diversity within the UK has increased significantly and the countries now display a much more diverse population.…”

“…Fortunately, the numbers of BAME clinical dentistry academics has increased over the past decade, from 14% in 2005 to 27% in 2016; however, the underrepresentation still exists at the higher levels of professor, senior lecturer and researcher grades in the UK. 9 On requesting an FOI report, of the 4,376 specialist dentists shown as registered with the GDC, only 74 are Black (1.7%), with nearly half within the oral surgery field (33). 20 Interestingly, oral medicine is well represented with 4.3% of specialists identifying as Black, while the majority of specialities show under-representation with endodontists at 0.3%, prosthodontists at 0.2% and restorative dentists at 0.7%.…”

“…17 However, research shows that measures still need to be focused on broadening the appeal of the career and supporting the admissions process for those who are Black, live outside of London and are from lower socioeconomic groups. 9,17 Although dental school applications are consistently higher from London than other cities across the UK, this is not surprising as it has the greatest ethnic diversity with a high density of dental schools, therefore providing schoolchildren with more exposure to dentistry. 9,17,21 I am aware of positive action following the BLM protests at my London dental school, where we have an antiracism steering committee to actively review any racial bias in the curriculum and ensure the welfare of staff and students.…”

“…9,17 Although dental school applications are consistently higher from London than other cities across the UK, this is not surprising as it has the greatest ethnic diversity with a high density of dental schools, therefore providing schoolchildren with more exposure to dentistry. 9,17,21 I am aware of positive action following the BLM protests at my London dental school, where we have an antiracism steering committee to actively review any racial bias in the curriculum and ensure the welfare of staff and students. However, with 83% of students coming from outside of London and personal reports of students sharing their experiences of racism in dental schools across the UK, it is important that these headlines do not deter potential applicants.…”