The American Dental Association House of Delegates voted to rescind "The Dentist's Prayer," used by some dental societies during meetings, and change its policy regarding religious diversity.
"The committee considered best practices and agreed that religious diversity must include those with different beliefs as well as those who are not religious," Judith Fisch, DDS, chair of the committee at the time the resolutions passed in September, said.
The board also recommended that the house remove the prayer from ADA policy and update the religious diversity policy to reflect a neutral stance. The house decided that meetings can begin with "a personal moment of reflection or silent prayer."
"Our goal is for the ADA to foster inclusivity and respect each member's personal life choices," Dr. Fisch said.