Policy on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Purpose

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) advocates for the health and well-being of all infants, children, and adolescents, regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, sexual or gender identity, medical status, family structure, or financial circumstances¹ and supports efforts to increase health equity among youth. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are critical to achieve the AAPD’S vision of optimal oral health for all children.² The intent of this policy is to review the published literature on how race, ethnicity, and other identifiers are related to children’s oral health and health inequities, to identify barriers to DEI within the dental profession, and to encourage clinicians, educators, researchers, and policy makers to advance DEI within the specialty of pediatric dentistry.