Budding Black dentists
Improving black representation in the dental workforce and the dental curriculum
We are dedicated to championing diversity in the field of Dentistry, supporting current and future young professionals.
Equip
To equip aspiring black dentists with the necessary tools needed for each stage of their dental journey.
Educate
To educate our community on the importance of oral health and what dentistry entails via outreach schemes.
Establish
To establish a strong support network of aspiring and qualified black dentists
The Issue
In May 2021, a report on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion within Dentistry was published by the Diversity in Dentistry Action Group (DDAG).
It highlighted the lack of racial diversity among dental professionals. Additional studies have shown 90% of participants felt that institutional racism was a primary factor in preventing individuals from progressing in their dental careers.
As well as this, black people account for only 1% of the General Dental Council (GDC) register (Lala, Baker and Muirhead, 2021). Within the BAME community, Asians are twice as likely to be represented in medicine and three to four times as likely in dentistry than their black counterparts (Gallagher et al, 2017).
Mock Multiple-Mini Interview Workshops
We host an online intensive mock MMI workshop at least once a year to help dental applicants prepare for their prospective interviews.
Mentorship
We offer mentorship to dental applicants and dental students by pairing them with dental students or dentists further ahead in their dental career.
Educational talks
To promote diversity and inclusion in the dental field, we speak at schools and communities about dentistry as a career and the importance of maintaining good oral health.
Personal Statement Buddy Scheme
Annually, we have a scheme where dental applicants can receive constructive feedback for their dentistry personal statements.
Outreach in Schools & Communities
We organise events for dental students and dentists within the black community to connect with each other and to build a supportive network.
Social Networking Events
To help equip, advice and support dental applicants, dental students and dentists within the black community, we give talks on topics relating to the different stages of their dental career.
Since the establishment of Budding Black Dentists Network in 2020, we have been offering free advice and support to dental applicants and dental students across the UK.
So far, we have managed to help over 60+ dental applicants with their dental school applications via our mock MMI workshops and our personal statement reviewing schemes.
100% of dental applicants who toot part in or personal statement reviewing scheme and mock MMI workshops said they would recommend our services to a friend and felt more confident the dentistry application process
