Thread by @sarahRbakerDPH

A Critical Analysis of Underrepresentation of Racialised
Minorities in the UK Dental Workforce

Open access paper by @Rizwanalala @MuirheadVanessa and myself as part of our 'Race and Oral Health' @IADR #IADR2021 symposium published in @CDHJournal

cdhjournal.org/article/789-a-…

The data shows adequate representation of racialised minorities in the first two stages of the dental workforce pipeline; (1) entry to dental schools and (2) completion of dental education.

However, the categorisation of diverse groups into a single ‘BAME’ category conceals the underrepresentation of Black people and those who experience intersectional forms of discrimination rooted in race, gender and class.

We observed all racialised minorities to
be underrepresented in the third stage of the dental workforce pipeline; career development and progression.

Across dental institutions, as the level of seniority increases, the representation of racialised minorities
decreases.

Multiple actions are suggested;
including (i) collation of comprehensive, inclusive data (ii) widening participation & representation initiatives to ensure equality of representation across the dental pipeline, including in senior spaces.

We hope this paper will help put some of the systemic problems that we see in dentistry-such as differential staff and student experiences, inequitable recruitment, promotions and disciplinary proceedings, and colonial dental curricula and research - on the institutional agenda.