How inclusivity strengthens dental education and patient care

Inclusivity strengthens dental education and patient care by fostering a deeper sense of empathy, cultural awareness and sensitivity. At One Dental, we know it's not enough to say we embrace diversity. We need to show it and we need to help educators to teach it from the very beginning of every dental career.

"Diversity is a fact, but inclusion is a choice we make every day. As leaders, we have to put out the message that we embrace and not just tolerate diversity."

– Nellie Borrero (Managing Director, Senior Strategic Advisor – Global Inclusion & Diversity at Accenture)

Three inclusive skin tones

We are excited to announce the recent addition of Indigenous manikins to our product profile. Our innovative training manikins now come in three distinct skin tones. It was an honour to closely collaborate with influential industry experts and key opinion leaders, including Karen Lansdown (Auckland University of Technology), who is the real champion of this product range.

Driven by her extensive involvement in Indigenous communities across Australia and New Zealand, Karen raised the idea of an inclusive, Indigenous manikin with appropriate skin tone and a realistic jaw structure. Through a series of meetings, including informal discussions around the kitchen table, we worked diligently to bring this idea to life.

Following our discussions with Karen, the Australian Dental Council (ADC) insisted that training materials include products with Indigenous skin tones, and we knew it was time to make it happen.

Our Founder and CEO, Joanne Stanbury, considers this milestone to be one of her career highlights. “Right now, One Dental is the only dental supplier taking this important step,” she says. “We are always trying to stay ahead of the curve and recognise the importance of inclusivity in our industry. We are so fortunate to be able to partner with idea generators like Karen to bring innovative and progressive ideas to life.”

Developing cultural competence is essential for delivering effective care to diverse populations. By integrating Aboriginal training manikins, we bridge the divide between theory and real-life patient interaction, enabling students to gain a better understanding and familiarity with the distinct oral health needs, cultural practices and community-specific considerations.

A more compassionate profession

“The Australian Dental Council (ADC) is committed to using its role to improve the health outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through the creation of a culturally safe dental workforce.” - Australian Dental Council (The role of accreditation in improving
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes in dental education)

One Dental fully embraces this mission and understands that cultivating compassion in dentistry starts during the education phase. We have designed our new manikin range to authentically reflect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other diverse cultures, assisting dental students in their training.

Our commitment to inclusivity goes beyond our manikin range. We are always searching for ways to improve our products and services to become more inclusive.

Helping shape a future where dental care is accessible and equitable for all

In striving for equitable access to dental care for all Australians, we need to first acknowledge that there is a current disparity. For example, in 2018-2019, an estimated 19% of Indigenous Australians over the age of two didn’t visit their dentist when they needed to and an estimated 45% over 15 had lost at least one tooth.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians also experience higher rates of dental disease compared to the non-Indigenous population. This is due to limited access to oral health services, socioeconomic disadvantage, geographic challenges and cultural barriers.

While more extensive plans are in place to address the broader, systemic issues in order to improve overall dental health outcomes for Indigenous Australians, in the dental supply industry, we can start with empathy and inclusive products, supplies and training materials.

Diverse dental supplies

At One Dental, we are the premier supplier of dental supplies and training products in Australia. Innovation is at the heart of our business and we love working towards solutions to current issues.

We are proud to be doing our part to encourage cultural awareness and sensitivity in dental students. We want to see them enter the professional world, not just with the knowledge and practical skills they need to succeed, but with the right attitude and a deep sense of empathy for all people.

To learn more about our new inclusive manikin range, or any of our other training aids and instruments, speak to our experienced, friendly team today.