A student-led qualitative study to explore dental undergraduates' understanding, experiences, and responses to racism in a dental school

Objectives

This qualitative study explored dental student participants' understanding of racism, their experiences, and responses to racism in dental school, and the impacts of their experiences.

Methods

An interpretative phenomenological analysis design recruited students from the undergraduate dental degree and the BSc in Oral Health Science course at a UK dental school in December 2020. Two students and a qualitative researcher facilitated the online focus groups. A topic guide including scenario questions guided the discussions that lasted an average of 2 h. The recorded interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

Twenty-five participants took part in five focus groups. Several themes emerged related to participants' experiences and reactions. They described a spectrum of racist encounters ranging from more subtle forms, such as stereotyping and microaggression to racial mocking. They were concerned about professionalism, not knowing how and when to respond to patients' racist behavior. They described gender discrimination and intersectional biases but felt compelled to put patients' interests first. They were unsure about how to respond to stereotyping or racism from staff because of perceived imbalances in the staff-patient-student triad relationship. They expressed fears of gaslighting and despondency. They also felt that the COVID-19 pandemic and anonymity from virtual learning environments enabled racist behavior.

Conclusion

This study revealed a complex triad relationship between participants, staff and patients, and experience of intersectionality and three levels of racism: interpersonal, structural, and institutional. It highlighted the need for further research to develop actions including structural policies and equality and diversity training.