The ethnicity of dental practitioners in the United Kingdom.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the proportion of dental practitioners, currently practising in the UK, who are from different ethnic groups.


METHODS
Analysis of data from the British Dental Association Omnibus Survey 2000. The sample comprised 970 qualified dentists in all fields of practice.


RESULTS
Dental practitioners from minority ethnic groups constitute approximately 14% of the population of dentists. There has been an increase in the proportion of dentists from minority ethnic groups amongst cohorts of dentists qualifying since 1987. There is some evidence that dentists from minority ethnic groups are more likely to treat patients under NHS payment.


CONCLUSIONS
The profession of dentistry in the United Kingdom appears to have little problem attracting members of some minority ethnic groups in particular those of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin. Individuals of Black Caribbean and Black African origin are under-represented.
Newton
J T
JT
Department of Dental Public Health & Oral Health Services Research, GKT Dental Institute, Floor 18, Guy's Tower, Guy's Hospital, London SE1 9RT, United Kingdom. tim.newton@kcl.ac.uk
Gibbons
D E
DE
D000349:Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000208:ethnology; D044383:Black People; D017691:Caribbean Region / Q000208:ethnology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003729:Dental Care; D003815:Dentists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010154:Pakistan / Q000208:ethnology; D013222:State Medicine; D006113:United Kingdom