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

To 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.

A 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.

Responses 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%).

The 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.