The Diversity Dilemma

Given the predicted shortages of minority dental healthcare providers in the United States and the expanding diversity of the general population, it is important to recruit and retain an ethnically and culturally diverse allied dental workforce. The objectives of this study were to explore why the profession of dental hygiene exhibits minimal diversity among students and instructors within academia. This study reaffirmed the low percentage of underrepresented minority (URM) students and faculty in dental hygiene programs. However, there was a correlation between minority dental hygiene administrators and the number of minority dental hygiene students enrolled and minority faculty employed. In conclusion, pipeline programs are needed to recruit and retain minority dental hygiene students and faculty. However, future targeted interventions are needed to address the success rate of diversity initiatives and pipeline programs with regard to URM recruitment and retention of dental hygiene students and faculty.