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

Objective: Little 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. Methods: This 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. Results: Seventy-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. Conclusions: Experiences 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.