Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40468523›Full record

ArticleJournal of dental education2026

The Practices and Challenges of Indigenizing Dental and Dental Hygiene Education in Canada.

Parisa Shokouhi, Leeann Donnelly, Diego Machado Ardenghi, Linda Slack-Smith, Mario Brondani

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of dental education, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Parisa ShokouhiOral Health Sciences Department, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2629-8648
Leeann DonnellyOral Biological and Medical Science Department, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Diego Machado ArdenghiOral Health Sciences Department, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5368-7975
Linda Slack-SmithEquity and Oral Health Group, School of Population and Global Health, Population and Public Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5859-7055
Mario BrondaniOral Health Sciences Department, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2437-4552

Funding

University of British ColumbiaUniversity of British Columbia's Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund (2022/24)-Small Innovation Project
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo explore the extent to which Indigenous content is taught in dental and dental hygiene curricula across Canada and to identify their objectives, delivery methods, barriers, and facilitators.

methodsA descriptive cross-sectional design was utilized via an anonymous survey developed using the Qualtrics platform. The survey was distributed to faculty members from all 10 accredited dental and 35 dental hygiene programs in Canada. The survey included 29 items focusing on demographic characteristics, Indigenous teaching, methods of delivery, assessment techniques, barriers, and facilitators. Descriptive analysis was conducted using SPSS software version 29.0.

resultsResponses were received from 34 programs; 90% (#9) of the undergraduate dental programs and 71% (#25) of the dental hygiene programs participated. Of the programs surveyed, 94.1% (n = 32) include Indigenous content. On average, 12.94 ± 7.44 h was dedicated to teaching such content. The most common delivery method was didactic format (88%), and the most frequently covered topics were history and Indigenous people's health, each covered in 79.4% of programs. Major barriers identified were overcrowded curricula (83.3%) and faculty shortages (58.3%), while key facilitators included supportive institutional policies (71.4%) and engagement with Indigenous experts (61.9%).

conclusionsThe study reveals that most Canadian dental and dental hygiene programs that responded included Indigenous content within their training. However, barriers such as overcrowded curricula and faculty shortages persist. Supportive institutional policies and the involvement of Indigenous professionals are vital for effective curriculum indigenization.

Indexed as

Dental HygienistsEducation, DentalIndigenous PeoplesCanadaCross-Sectional StudiesCurriculumHumansSurveys and QuestionnairesCanadacultural awarenessdental educationdental hygieneIndigenous contentIndigenous populationsurveyundergraduate

Identifiers

PMID40468523
PMCPMC12905015

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.