Our Action: What We Are Doing
What We’ve Accomplished
- Appointment of a DEI Officer
- Publish a school-level DEI statement
- Curricular changes with an inclusion emphasis - Mandatory D2 course, Reducing Bias in Healthcare: Improving Patient Outcomes, was incorporated into DENS 603 - Foundations of Effective Interpersonal Skills during Patient Interactions II Fall 2020.
- Pre-doctoral admissions committee has completed diversity training with the VCU Office of Inclusive Excellence course, Cultivating Inclusive Workplaces.
- DEI Syllabus Statement - Incorporated a renewed commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion syllabus statement for all courses and clinics.
- Launch of a Dental Public Health D4 Selective - With special emphasis on the Epidemiology of COVID19, Teledentistry, Social Determinants of Health, & Health Equity
- Approval of a mandatory SOD Dental Public Health course
- Inaugural Inclusive Excellence Week held October 19th-23rd 2020
Where We Are Going
- Current work is underway for a formal DEI strategic plan.
This strategic plan will help drive efforts in a myriad of ways. DEI initiatives touch nearly every facet of our SOD community, including but not limited to:
- Policies Review
- Admissions (predoctoral, dental hygiene, advanced education and PhD)
- Curriculum
- Staff and Faculty Education
- Health Disparities Curriculum & Research
- Current work is also underway for a monthly diversity dialogues conversation series
- Current work is underway to develop a DEI yearly award for students, faculty and staff that most embodies a commitment to DEI values and principles.