In Indiana, the American Dental Association reports 4.1 percent of dentists were African American in 2016 compared to 86.4 percent of white dentists, according to the Indianapolis Recorder.
The lack of diversity is also present in dental school. In 2017, 39 African American students applied to the Indianapolis-based Indiana University School of Dentistry. From the 39 students, one enrolled, making the enrollment rate for African Americans 2.5 percent, according to the American Dental Education Association.
Lack of diversity expands beyond the Indiana University School of Dentistry. The report found 12 dental schools did not enroll African American students in 2017. So, how do universities increase their diversity?
Ina McBean, the director of diversity, equity and inclusion at the Indiana University School of Dentistry, recommended introducing potential African American students to dentistry earlier in their schooling. "The earlier we can expose underrepresented minority students to the profession, the better," Ms. McBean told the Indianapolis Recorder.
Indiana University School of Dentistry partnered with "Breaking the Myths," a program that allows minority students to learn about the medical field.
Without African American dentists, Ms. McBean found an increased number of African American patients not visiting dentists. "Another complicating factor for [African American] patients is how many dentists accept public health insurance," according to the report. In 2017, 17 percent of Indiana's Medicaid members were African American, and around 41 percent of state dentists accepted Medicaid patients.
For young students, seeing fellow African American dentists succeeding can be encouraging to enter the field. "If people aren't aware of the issue, they're not going to pay attention or address the issue," Kyle Ratliff, DDS, told the Indianapolis Recorder.
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The lack of diversity is also present in dental school. In 2017, 39 African American students applied to the Indianapolis-based Indiana University School of Dentistry. From the 39 students, one enrolled, making the enrollment rate for African Americans 2.5 percent, according to the American Dental Education Association.
Lack of diversity expands beyond the Indiana University School of Dentistry. The report found 12 dental schools did not enroll African American students in 2017. So, how do universities increase their diversity?
Ina McBean, the director of diversity, equity and inclusion at the Indiana University School of Dentistry, recommended introducing potential African American students to dentistry earlier in their schooling. "The earlier we can expose underrepresented minority students to the profession, the better," Ms. McBean told the Indianapolis Recorder.
Indiana University School of Dentistry partnered with "Breaking the Myths," a program that allows minority students to learn about the medical field.
Without African American dentists, Ms. McBean found an increased number of African American patients not visiting dentists. "Another complicating factor for [African American] patients is how many dentists accept public health insurance," according to the report. In 2017, 17 percent of Indiana's Medicaid members were African American, and around 41 percent of state dentists accepted Medicaid patients.
For young students, seeing fellow African American dentists succeeding can be encouraging to enter the field. "If people aren't aware of the issue, they're not going to pay attention or address the issue," Kyle Ratliff, DDS, told the Indianapolis Recorder.
More articles on dentists:
U of Kentucky College of Dentistry puts dean on administrative leave: 4 notes
Drs. Richard Schott, Mike Acierno & more: 5 dentists making headlines
Henry Schein teams up with International College of Dentists: 5 insights