A survey to investigate the extent of patient focused cultural awareness education included in the academic curricula for dental hygiene and dental therapy students within the UK

AimsTo identify the extent of cultural awareness teaching within the dental hygiene and dental therapy students’ academic curricula in the UK.Method A survey was administered via an online questionnaire (SmartSurvey©) and the link distributed by email to all 21 dental hygiene and dental therapy higher education institutes in the UK. Statistical Package for Social Science was used to process data.ResultsOf the 21 higher education institutes, 20 responded to the questionnaire. Regional division and variability in provision of cultural awareness education was found to be evident. Fourteen (n=20; 70%) delivered cultural awareness education through various modules, providers and allocated teaching hours. The six (30%) higher education institutes who did not provide cultural awareness education reported barriers to inclusion, either individual or joint: cultural awareness is not a General Dental Council requirement (n=2; 10%); lack of specially qualified staff (n=2; 10%); lack of timetable availability (n=3; 15%); cultural awareness was considered not a subject requiring inclusion (n=1; 5%).ConclusionTypically, in UK higher education institutes’ dental hygiene and dental therapy academic curricula, cultural awareness provision is integrated rather than afforded a distinct and specific profile. There is a gap in the curricula and thus an opportunity to strengthen the dental hygiene and dental therapy education to ensure that new graduates are specifically equipped in cultural awareness, so that they might reach members of the patient population from diverse ethnic backgrounds.