This study, led by researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University and CareQuest Institute, analyzes whether distinct groups or “archetypes” of individuals more frequently experience discrimination and microaggressions in the dental setting — and how those experiences can influence their oral health outcomes.
Younger and more diverse groups of adults experienced more discrimination and microaggressions in the oral health care system compared to older, non-Hispanic white adults, the researchers found.
The authors write:
Given the traumatic nature of experiencing discrimination and microaggressions at the hands of the same health professionals meant to provide compassionate care, trauma-informed oral health care may be a particularly important addition to such interventions.”
Read the article in Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology (open access)
You may also be interested in:
- Discrimination and Dignity Experiences in Prior Oral Care Visits Predict Racialized Oral Health Inequities Among Nationally Representative US Adults, an article in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities that analyzes the effect of discrimination and microaggressions in oral care settings on oral health outcomes.
- Understanding and Providing Trauma-Informed Oral Health Care, a self-paced course exploring how underrepresented and marginalized populations may be impacted by violence and trauma, and practical ways that providers can implement trauma-informed strategies in their practice. The course is eligible for one free CE credit.
- Oral Health in America: Who Gets Left Behind?, a report summarizing the results of CareQuest Institute’s latest State of Oral Health Equity in America survey, revealing both progress and ongoing gaps that demand attention.