Exploring dental undergraduates' views on equality, diversity, and inclusion issues: consensus and action planning in Northern Ireland

Title: Exploring Dental Undergraduates' views on Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Issues: Consensus and Action Planning in Northern Ireland <br/><br/>Objectives: Many students feel strongly about Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion issues both inside and outside university, which has a responsibility to provide a safe and welcoming space for all. There is a diverse dental undergraduate student population in Northern Ireland, who should be involved in the action planning process to help achieve this. This study explored dental undergraduates’ views and experiences of EDI-related issues and aimed to obtain consensus on a set of positive actions to undertake in the Centre for Dentistry at Queen’s University, Belfast. <br/><br/>Methods: Seventeen dental undergraduate students completed a questionnaire which gathered both quantitative and qualitative information on their views on EDI-related issues, including actions they would like to see implemented to enhance their experience. All participants then completed a structured online consensus activity following a nominal group technique to elaborate on their responses and agree on five priority actions. <br/><br/>Results: Questionnaire responses identified the EDI-related issues that matter most to dental undergraduates in university, including those related to the reporting of incidents of discrimination and harassment, how policies around racism and disability are communicated, and having a say on accessible and inclusive teaching methods. Five priorities were agreed, including actions related to: inclusive and cultural events; induction activities; specific initiatives for students; training and curriculum development; signposting and receiving feedback. <br/><br/>Conclusions: This study provided a valuable insight into dental undergraduates’ views on EDI-related issues, with a consensus meeting successfully involving students in the action-planning process. Other dental schools might consider running a similar activity or implementing the proposed actions in this study to best support their students. Future research should evaluate the effectiveness of proposed actions for improving students’ experience.