Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 Sep;86(9):1214-1222.
doi: 10.1002/jdd.13065.

Illuminating light in the darkness: Black/African-American men in dental education and strategies for change

Todd V Ester  1   1 , Carlos S Smith  2 , Patrick D Smith  3
Affiliations
Free article

Illuminating light in the darkness: Black/African-American men in dental education and strategies for change

Todd V Ester et al. J Dent Educ. 2022 Sep.
Free article

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to discuss the challenges surrounding the underrepresentation of Black/African American (BAA) men in dentistry and dental education and present a rationale for anti-racism strategies to address them. Data and insights from the literature are presented to discuss how racism may derail BAA's opportunities to achieve a dental education through stereotyping, social, and academic isolation. Additionally, the authors present commentary and testimonials on the importance of mentorship to guide BAA men into and through dental careers. Additionally, the article describes two examples of successful career pathway programs, and highlights the significance of historically Black colleges and universities to promoting diversity within the dental profession. Anti-racism recommendations for change include more direct attention to how dental school humanistic environments support BAA men, committing human and financial resources for program development, and using data-driven metrics to assess those programs longitudinally. The commitment of dental education to promote oral health equity demands more than appreciation of BAA men's contributions, but a commitment to creating and advancing opportunities that assure their success.

Keywords: Black men; dental education; diversity; oral health; oral health equity; racism.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

REFERENCES

    1. Du Bois WEB. The Souls of Black Folk. Edwards BA, ed. Oxford University Press; 2008.
    1. ADEA presidents’ symposium on men of color in the health professions. American Dental Education Association. 2022. Accessed April 28, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC964ULMB7s
    1. Slow to Change: HURE Groups in Dental Education. American Dental Education Association. 2022. Accessed March 22, 2022. https://www.adea.org/uploadedFiles/ADEA/Content_Conversion/policy_advoca...
    1. Nalliah RP, Timothé P, Reddy MS. Diversity, equity, and inclusion interventions to support admissions have had little benefit to Black students over the past 20 years. J Dent Educ 2021;85(4):448-455.
    1. Racial and ethnic mix of the dentist workforce in the U.S. American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute. 2021. Accessed February 18, 2022. https://www.ada.org/-/media/project/ada-organization/ada/ada-org/files/r...