The Influence of Endodontic Residents’ Colorblind Racial Attitudes on Managing Post‐Endodontic Pain

INTRODUCTION: Racial attitudes and biases, whether conscious or unconscious, are well documented influences on the delivery of healthcare and pain management in the United States. This study aims to determine if patient race and/or provider's racial attitudes influence post-endodontic pain management. METHODS: Endodontic residents attending US programs were invited to participate in this online study. Participants were presented with four standardized patient vignettes; two Black and two White age-matched men recited scripts describing symptoms of moderate pain following root canal treatment. Scenarios were randomized: participants saw each vignette and actor once, and each actor-vignette pairing was shown with equal frequency. After viewing each video, participants rated their likelihood of rendering a number of treatment options, completed the validated Color-Blind Racial Attitude Scale (CoBRAS), and a demographic inventory. Data were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression. RESULTS: Thirty-seven percent (n = 192) of residents completed the survey. In analyses aggregated over levels of colorblind racial attitudes, there were few differences in treatment based on patients' race. Likelihood of following up by phone for Black or White patients depended on the participants' CoBRAS score. Participants with low CoBRAS scores were more likely to plan a call for Black patients, whereas participants with high scores were more likely to plan a call for White patients (p interaction = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: If substantiated, the minimal differences observed by race or CRA may suggest that endodontic residents are adhering to established best practices, while also underscoring the potential influence of racial attitudes on patient communication.