Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
The CU School of Dental Medicine Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion aims to improve access and quality of oral health care to underserved communities by expanding a more diverse dental workforce.
Did you know that less than 14% of the nation’s dentists are African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic American, or Native American? These underrepresented minorities must become more integrated into the healthcare workforce if we are to address healthcare disparities. Diversity in the health professions is not only linked to improved access and quality of health care for racial and ethnic minorities, it also results in an increased educational experience for all health profession students.
To help diversify the dental workforce, the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion has several educational programs designed to attract and prepare a diverse and talented pool of applicants for dental school.
Mission & Goals
The CU School of Dental Medicine Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion's mission is to foster more comprehensive programming on diversity, inclusion and equity for the school. View the CU SDM DEI Policy.
Our goals are to:
- Normalize the conversations about diversity so that we can collectively grow and learn together;
- Build platforms so that the voices of all of our students, staff and faculty feel heard and supported;
- Include and celebrate each individual at our school;
- Continue to improve the culture of our campus to foster community, safety, inclusivity and interprofessionalism; and
- Impact workforce diversity, culturally competent care and the patient experience at our school and in our state.
We recognize that as members of our CU Dental community, your voice in creating these goals and programming are vital.
Contact Us
Elizabeth Ramos, DDS, MSD
Assistant Dean for Academic Achievement and Equity
Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Email: sdmdiversity@ucdenver.edu