Journal of Dental Education (JDE)Establishing an Antiracism Framework for Dental Education Through Critical Assessment of Accreditation Standards

Addressing Systemic Racism: A New Framework for Diversity and Inclusivity in Dental Education

In a significant step towards inclusivity, a new manuscript proposes an antiracism framework for dental education, focusing on the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) standards for predoctoral education. The framework aims to address systemic racism in dental education and improve the representation and treatment of historically underrepresented racial and ethnic (HURE) groups.

HCN Medical Memo
The proposed antiracism framework could have profound implications for healthcare professionals in the field of dentistry. By addressing systemic racism within dental education, it could lead to more diverse representation among students and faculty, improved patient care for HURE populations, and a shift in institutional culture towards inclusivity.

Key Points

• The authors reviewed each CODA predoctoral standard for opportunities to incorporate antiracism strategies.
• Eight standards were identified under themes of diversity, curriculum development, and faculty recruitment and promotion.
• The strategies highlighted a need to improve recruitment, admissions, and accountability among dental schools to address the low numbers of HURE students and faculty.
• They emphasized the inclusion of racism in curricula geared toward training dental students to provide care to HURE populations.
• There are opportunities to improve accountability that dental schools are providing equitable opportunities for career advancement among HURE faculty.

According to data from the American Dental Education Association, only 15.2% of dental school applicants in 2019 were from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups.

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