EXPLORING FACULTY EDIA (EQUITY, DIVERSITY, INCLUSIVITY AND ACCESS) CAPACITY IN DENTAL EDUCATION

Abstract

Increasing EDIA (Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity and Access) capacity is a priority for dentistry and dental hygiene education. There is a lack of direction within dental education for faculty members to develop comfort in EDIA subjects with direct implications on their ability to support the diverse learning needs of underrepresented students. Learning environments are significantly impacted by norms and practices engrained within current leadership and pedagogy and reinforced by faculty members. Recommendations for development are noted in the literature, yet evidence of perceived EDIA capacity of faculty members is limited. The purpose of this manuscript-thesis is to explore barriers impacting dental faculty’s EDIA development and identify perceived strengths and weaknesses of current EDIA capacity. Using hermeneutic inquiry, new findings are revealed, identifying areas for diversity development at the organizational and personal level. The findings stand poised to increase discourse on effective organization of culturally supportive learning environments in dental education.