Presentation Title: “You’re studying dental nursing, not dentistry”: exploring the undergraduate experiences of BAME dental students- initial findings from a qualitative study
Presenters: Dr Patricia Neville

Abstract: A culturally diverse healthcare workforce provides a social good in society, reducing barriers to access and challenging stereotypes about minority groups in society (Shaw 2009). Nevertheless, many healthcare professions, including dentistry have been historically cast as white professions. Though UK dentistry is still predominately white (49% of registered dentists and 53.3% dental students are recorded as being ethnically white), closer examination of the data reveals some interesting changes in the ethnic composition of the profession. Between 2010-2014 37% of British Asians were accepted to dental school but only 2% of Black British students (Gallagher et al 2017). These findings suggest that while the dental profession is slowly becoming more diverse, British Asians are doing better that other minorities and that the prospects for Black British in dentistry are particularly worrisome. This presentation explores the results from a qualitative study conducted with a sample of dental students, both white and BAME, on their access into and participation with dental school and how their ethnicity has influenced or shaped their interaction(s) with this profession and the educational institution that produces and reproduces future dentists.

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