American Indian/Alaska Native, Black, and Hispanic dentists' experiences of discrimination

• DOI: 10.1111/jphd.12513
• Publication Date: 2022-06-21T07:18:32Z
• Authors: Eleanor Fleming; Elizabeth Mertz; Matthew Jura; Aubri Kottek; Paul Gates
• Keywords: American Indians/Native Alaskan; workforce; Special Issue: Antiracism in Dental Public Health: Engaging Science, Education, Policy, and Practice; Alaska Natives; Dentists; African-Americans; Hispanic or Latino; Alaskan Natives; United States; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; Racism; 0302 clinical medicine; survey research; Ethnicity; oral health; Humans; Hispanic/Latino; dentists; 10. No inequality; racism; racial discrimination

AbstractObjectiveLittle is known about the scope and role of discriminatory experiences in dentistry. The purpose of this study is to document the experiences that American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN), Black, and Hispanic dentists have had with discrimination.MethodsThis study reports data from a 2012 nationally representative study of dentists documenting experiences with discrimination during their dental careers or during dental school by the setting of the discrimination, the providers' education, and geographic location. This study does not differentiate between levels of discrimination and focuses holisticly on the experience of any discrimination.ResultsSeventy‐two percent of surveyed dentists reported any experience with discrimination in a dental setting. The experiences varied by race/ethnicity, with 49% of AI/AN, 86% Black, and 59% of Hispanic dentists reporting any discriminatory experiences. Racial/ethnic discrimination was reported two times greater than any other type.ConclusionsExperiences with racial/ethnic discrimination are prevalent among AI/AN, Black, and Hispanic dentists, suggesting that as a profession work is needed to end discrimination and foster belonging.