Faculty of Dentistry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
Faculty of Health Disciplines, Athabasca University, Athabasca, Canada.
J Dent Educ. 2023 Jul;87(7):987-996. doi: 10.1002/jdd.13208. Epub 2023 Mar 25.
There are increasing concerns regarding inequitable educational access and experiences for underrepresented populations in health education, prompting dental faculties to recognize EDIA (equity, diversity, inclusivity, and access) capacity as a strategic priority. Faculty members contribute to the establishment and reinforcement of institutionally engrained norms within learning settings with significant influence on the experience of students. Currently, there is limited literature on faculty EDIA capacity within dental education and minimal evidence to inform barriers to development. This study sought to explore how dental faculty members perceive their personal and institutional EDIA capacity and to identify current strengths and weaknesses of EDIA development within the institution of study and dental education.
Using a hermeneutic study design, semi-structured interviews were conducted on a convenience sampling of dental faculty members (n = 10) and a thematic, interpretative analysis was applied.
Findings revealed six dominant themes impacting EDIA capacity. Knowledge of EDIA language, interfaculty communication, and institutional messaging are identified as weaknesses, whereas informal, community building events for EDIA development are identified as novel strengths meriting prioritization. Motivation to engage in EDIA by faculty members overall is illuminated in relation to emotionally provocative experiences.
Current institutional communication of EDIA is unconsciously restricting capacity building based on hierarchical and prescribed parameters. Developing capacity in dental education requires a redirection of resources to initiatives valuing social bonding over prescribed box-checking. This study reveals a new narrative of EDIA capacity within dental education and sustainable pathways for development with high transferability to other health programs.
人们越来越关注健康教育学中代表性不足的人群在教育机会和经历方面的不平等问题，促使牙科学院将 EDIA（公平、多样性、包容性和可及性）能力视为战略重点。教师在学习环境中建立和强化机构内根深蒂固的规范，对学生的体验有重大影响。目前，关于牙科学教育中教师 EDIA 能力的文献有限，关于发展障碍的证据也很少。本研究旨在探讨牙科教师如何看待他们的个人和机构 EDIA 能力，并确定研究机构和牙科教育中 EDIA 发展的当前优势和劣势。
使用解释学研究设计，对牙科教师（n=10）进行了便利抽样的半结构化访谈，并应用了主题、解释性分析。
研究结果揭示了影响 EDIA 能力的六个主要主题。发现 EDIA 语言知识、教师之间的沟通和机构信息传递是弱点，而 EDIA 发展的非正式、社区建设活动则是新颖的优势，值得优先考虑。教师参与 EDIA 的动机与情感上的激发体验有关。
目前，机构对 EDIA 的沟通无意识地限制了基于等级和规定参数的能力建设。在牙科教育中发展能力需要将资源重新分配到重视社会联系而不是规定性的检查的举措上。本研究揭示了牙科教育中 EDIA 能力的新叙述，以及具有高度可转移性的可持续发展途径，适用于其他健康项目。
