Course Summary:
Culturally Responsive Care is essential to improving the quality and equity of oral health services. This no-cost, self-paced course equips oral health professionals with the knowledge, skills, and awareness needed to provide effective care to patients from all cultural backgrounds. In alignment with Washington State’s requirement for dental professionals to complete at least two hours of health equity training every three years, this course addresses core topics such as implicit bias, system-level health disparities, and strategies for delivering culturally responsive care. Designed for dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, dental specialists, and anyone committed to equitable oral health care, this program supports clinicians in creating inclusive, patient-centered experiences for diverse communities
Learning Objectives:
- Define culturally appropriate (responsive) care and explain its importance in dental settings, including its impact on trust, patient experience, and oral health outcomes.
- Describe how culture, systemic barriers, racism, and social determinants of health influence access to care and contribute to oral health disparities.
- Apply principles of cultural humility and patient-centered care to strengthen communication, connection, and safety within the dental office.
- Identify practical strategies to start, stop, and continue behaviors that support culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and equitable dental care delivery.