Friends, Over the past week, the onDiem team has had a series of tough conversations about systemic racism, and the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement.
As you can imagine, those conversations have led us to some uncomfortable, yet undeniable truths.
73.1% of dentists and 88.6% of dental hygienists in the United States identify as white—and research suggests that unconscious racial bias in the dental community can negatively affect clinical decisions. In our line of work, where oral care leads to life-saving outcomes, it’s crucial that we ask ourselves some tough questions, and come out the better for it.
We realize there’s so much to do and change—but we also know that we’re not the best sources of guidance on these issues. So we’re committed to holding space, learning, and listening to the people in our community who are most affected by systemic racism. We promise to lean into the discomfort with compassion, open-mindedness, and empathy.
As a team, here’s what we’re committed to doing over the next year:
- We will hold ourselves accountable by making diversity and inclusion a concrete business objective with measurable goals.
- We will partner with local organizations to bring dental care to more Black and Brown communities of color, which are historically underserved by the medical industry.
- We will prioritize the inclusivity of our platform to counter bias in hiring, by ensuring that the datasets powering our staffing algorithms are diverse—and that our own team reflects the diversity of our country.
- We understand that healthcare benefits can help close the racial divide in access to life-saving care. As part of a larger coalition of brands and companies who are working to rebuild the dental industry, and as part of our regular services, we will continue to provide unprecedented access to W2 benefits for all onDiem professionals.
One day, the next generation will look back on this moment and ask us where we stood in the fight for equity. We have every intention to tell them that we did our best—that we did what was right. We hope, with all our hearts, that you will join us.
With love, gratitude, and hope,
Team onDiem
