| Seq #190 | Saturday, 11 March 2006 | |||||||
| 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Swan Hotel 6, Symposium | ||||||||
| [ADEA] Dentistry for a Diverse Society | ||||||||
Sponsored by: ADEA | ||||||||
| Description: The United States Census Bureau projects that by 2050, 49% of the population will be Caucasian, 24% Hispanic, 14% African American, 8% Asian, and 5% Native American. The American Dental Education Association reported in 2000 that 11% of dental students were underrepresented minorities: 5.3% Hispanic, 4.8% African American, and 1% Native American. By 2050 the “minority” will be the majority. Unfortunately, the emerging majority is disproportionately burdened by oral and systemic diseases. These populations are also low-income, undereducated, and exposed to environmental hazards. To address this concern the number of underrepresented minority oral health professionals must increase to improve availability, accessibility, and acceptability of oral health care. As patient populations continue to become more diverse, care protocol and procedure systems must change. The literature indicates that African American and Hispanic providers have patient populations that are overwhelmingly minority and low-income. While care only addresses one component of oral health, it is needed most by populations who carry the burden of oral diseases. Dental educators must recognize the changing demographics and their impact on oral health. Students must be better educated to serve diverse communities. They must be culturally competent and technically prepared to serve an expanded service population. The objectives of this symposium are to address the changing demography, the need for oral health care, historical and contemporary strategies to increase the diversity of students in dental school, and the mal-distribution of oral health professionals. This session will discuss demography – “The Coloring of America”, oral health and oral disease for the underserved, the importance of race and ethnicity of dental care providers, the changing role of women of color in providing dental care, the roles of dental education in preparing a proficient oral health work force, and the Plausible Impact by 2050 | ||||||||
| ||||||||
Back to the: Symposium Program
Back to the ADEA/AADR/CADR Meeting & Exhibition (March 8-11, 2006)