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An update on the gender balance of the UK Dental Boards

BDJ In Practice volume 35, pages 30–31 (2022)Cite this article

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We are a campaigning group that formed to raise awareness about the gender imbalance of the boards and attempt to help by suggesting solutions. We started work in September 2019. Our first step was to carry out a small audit of the gender balance of the UK dental boards. Disappointingly, we found that only 4 out of 23 UK dental boards had a balanced board. This was clearly wrong.

Next, we took part in national seminars and a social media campaign to draw attention to the problem. This was moderately successful and led to the publication of our previous paper. When we planned this campaign, we had to take note of other severe issues, for example the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and concerns with the provision of dental care. This meant that our work has 'ebbed and flowed' over the last few years.

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References

  1. O'Brien K, Ahmad M, Harrhy L et al. Balancing the dental boards. Br Dent J 2021; 230: 804-806

  2. EUR-Lex. Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. A Union of Equality: Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025. 2020. Available online at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52020DC0152 (accessed July 2020).

  3. Royal College of Surgeons. We will put diversity at the heart of our strategy. 2021. https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/about-the-rcs/about-our-mission/diversity-review-2021/ (accessed September 2022).

  4. British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. https://www.baoms.org.uk/about/inclusion_equity_and_diversity.aspx (accessed September 2022).

  5. British Dental Association. (accessed September 2022).

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  1. University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom

    Kevin O´Brien

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  1. Kevin O´Brien
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Correspondence to Kevin O´Brien.

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O´Brien, K. An update on the gender balance of the UK Dental Boards. BDJ In Pract 35, 30–31 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41404-022-1742-7

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