Abstract
Oral health is important to overall health. Poor oral health can affect a person’s ability to smile and chew, and can negatively affect their self-esteem. Poor oral health can lead to systemic diseases and even death. Therefore, access to dental care is vital for maintaining a quality of life, but people of color often lack access to this essential care. Negative stereotyping, color blind attitudes, and providers' biases are barriers for people of color to access dental care. Dental hygienists play a crucial role in removing barriers to oral healthcare for underserved populations. However, the dental hygiene profession does not represent the diversity within the United States. Even though the racial makeup of the United States is becoming more diverse, the racial makeup of the persons awarded dental hygiene degrees continues to be overwhelmingly White. Racial diversity in the dental hygiene workforce is essential to meet the needs of people of color as they seek treatment from a provider who shares their racial background. However, people of color face barriers to entering the dental hygiene profession. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to gain a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of dental hygienists of color as they navigated possible career choices, educational institutions, and work environments through the lens of race. By employing the tenets of critical race theory, specifically the unique voice of color and counter-storytelling, to analyze the data collected from interviews, key themes emerged regarding racism, microaggressions, coping mechanisms, a sense of belonging, and the importance of race and patient- provider trust.
Advisor
Natalie Rasmussen
Committee Member
Leslie Locke
Committee Member
Antonia Felix
Date of Degree
2025
Language
english
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Program of Study
Educational Leadership
Department
Educational Leadership
College
Education
Recommended Citation
Masih, S. (2025). Racial diversity matters: Experiences of dental hygienists of color In education and practice [Doctoral dissertation, Minnesota State University, Mankato]. Cornerstone: A Collection of Scholarly and Creative Works for Minnesota State University, Mankato. https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/etds/1550/
Rights Statement
