Humanizing Oral Health: Race, Representation and Equity in Dental Education and Oral Health Care

Background: Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is an increasingly important issue in dental education oral health care. Through illuminating exclusionary practices the field persistent disparities among diverse communities, educators leaders are urged to confront lack of diversity dentistry, care professions.Methods: To do so, this leadership brief offers The Integrated Humanizing Theoretical Framework for improving access Black, Indigenous people color (BIPOC) order treat underrepresented populations communities.Results: Drawing from cultural humility theory, critical race theory restorative justice, interdisciplinary multicritical framework sets out analyze, disrupt improve communities by educating more Hispanic/Latinx Native American/Indigenous providers who serve these minoritized communities.Conclusions: This integrated humanizing theoretical offered remedy eliminate racial through understanding historical context as a structural enduring form exclusion inequality sciences society.Practical implications: Integrating into school continuing curricula awareness knowledge-building tool both current future professionals, policymakers would promote implementation conscious advancing policy, procedure practice health.