Those who identify as LGBTQ+ face many challenges, including in the dental industry. With June being International Pride Month, here at Savanna Dental, we would like to affirm our support for the LGBTQ+ community – with the aim of providing a highly-inclusive and welcoming dental clinic for all of our patients.
With June being Pride Month, it is an opportunity for companies across all industries to review the current status of LGBTQ+ rights, and to see what improvements can be made to increase inclusivity.
This is especially important in the dental industry, as oral health is crucial for everyone. Unfortunately, not every place of business is respectful of those who identify as LGBTQ+. But with the dental industry being essential to overall health, it is important for dentists to be allies to LGBTQ+ interests.
Here at Savanna Dental, we place great emphasis on inclusivity, and encourage patients of all genders, race and religion to visit our Calgary-based dental practice.
There are challenges facing those who identify as LGBTQ+ in the dental industry, which forms part of the wider societal stigma towards the LGBTQ+ community [1].
LGBTQ+ in dentistry
Despite societal improvements, a stigma against the LGBTQ+ community remains. Stonewall – the organisation that supports LGBTQ+ rights – found that 1 in 7 LGBTQ+ people avoid seeking healthcare due to fear of discrimination by healthcare workers [2].
LGBTQ+ people are highly likely to have mental health problems that can affect dental health [3]. For instance, those with depression may overeat sugary and unhealthy foods, or those with an eating disorder may damage their teeth by regular vomiting while “purging” following a “binge”.
Moreover, statistics show that those in the LGBTQ+ community are also more likely to smoke than heterosexuals [4], which increases their chances of developing oral problems such as oral cancer or periodontal disease.
ADA’s Virtual Forum for LGBTQ+ access to dentistry
An important date for the dental industry is June 23rd – with the forum “Amplifying Voices: An Open Forum on LGBTQ+ Community and the Dental Profession” taking place.
The event has been organised by the American Dental Association (ADA), and is scheduled for June 23rd at 7:00pm Central. This virtual event will take place over Zoom, and can be accessed by clicking on this link.
This forum will involve a panel of senior dentists and dental professionals who identify as LGBTQ+. The event will examine the current relationship between the LGBTQ+ community and the dental industry. Attendees will be educated on methods of bolstering the dental profession’s relationship with the LGBTQ+ community [5].
The ADA have organised this forum in conjunction with Houston Equality Dental Network, which is an organisation that aims to raise awareness to the challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community in dentistry [6].
One of the founders of the Houston Equality Dental Network is Dr. Alex Barrera, who will be among the panellists at the event. He has stated “as health care and dentistry continue to make progress, the only way we can have true equality is through the allyship of all of our colleagues and those in leadership positions [6].”
Barrera went on to correctly say that “it is only with continued awareness, education and celebration that we can come together to ensure that the world is a safer and happier place for all.”
The measures we take at Savanna Dental to support LGBTQ+
Here at Savanna Dental, we put significant effort into ensuring that we adopt an LGBTQ+-friendly approach. We make sure that we are respectful of all of our patients, and use appropriate language when interacting with the LGBTQ+ community.
We know that our patients expect a strong relationship with our staff, and expect to be treated courteously. As part of our duty of care to our patients, we treat everyone without any form of discrimination.
We hope to form long-term rapports between staff and patient, with research showing that trust, open communication and patient involvement all crucial elements of achieving this [7]. Therefore, we aim to implement these key areas with our patients.
What we offer our patients at Savanna Dental
Whatever your sexual orientation, gender, race, age or religion, here at Savanna Dental, we will be happy to help. We are an inclusive dental practice, and welcome everyone to our clinic.
We are based in a convenient area of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Our dental clinic offers a vast range of services – from regular check-ups, to cavity fillings, and more complex procedures such as root canals or dentures. We also offer some cosmetic dental services too.
We always advise our patients to attend regular check-ups (at least two a year), while maintaining strong oral hygiene. This includes brushing your teeth at least twice a day, flossing regularly and avoiding sugary foods and drink where possible. These measures help to protect our teeth and gums.
When treatment is required, we provide each patient with a treatment plan that suits their individual needs and circumstances. We also adhere to the Alberta Dental Fee Guide, which allows us to provide affordable care to our patients.
Summary
There remains room for improvement for the dental industry in terms of strengthening the relationship between dentists and the LGBTQ+ community. Here at Savanna Dental, we aim to champion LGBTQ+ rights.
We hope you will visit our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental! We provide a courteous and comfortable patient experience, and always welcome new patients. Click here to visit our website https://savannadental.ca, where you can see the different services that we offer at our dental clinic.
- [1] Hatzenbuehler, M. L., Bellatorre, A., Lee, Y., Finch, B. K., Muennig, P., & Fiscella, K. (2014). Structural stigma and all-cause mortality in sexual minority populations. Social Science & Medicine, 103 (1), p33–41.
- [2] Stonewall. (2018). LGBT in Britain 2018 Report. Available: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/lgbt-britain-health. Last accessed: 17th June 2021.
- [3] Henderson, G., & Varney, J. (2017). Mental health challenges within the LGBT community. Available: https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2017/07/06/mental-health-challenges-within-the-lgbt-community/. Last accessed: 17th June 2021.
- [4] Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Persons and Tobacco Use. Available: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/disparities/lgbt/index.htm. Last accessed: 17th June 2021.
- [5] Solana, K. (2021). Pride Month: Open forum to explore dentists’ role as LGBTQ+ allies. Available: https://www.ada.org/en/publications/new-dentist-news/2021-archive/june/pride-month-open-forum-to-explore-dentists-role-as-lgbtq-allies. Last accessed: 17th June 2021.
- [6] Houston Equality Dental Network. (2021). Homepage. Available: https://www.houstonequalitydental.org/. Last accessed: 17th June 2021.
- [7] Woodward, B., Eastin. J., Millhouse, V. M., Smith, C., & Haley, J. (2014). Advancing effective communication and cultural competency with the LGBT community with special emphasis on the transgender patient. Presented at: Baltimore City Community College; October 29, 2014; Baltimore.
