Tackling racial microaggressions in dental training: a novel approach using comics

Microaggressions happen frequently, are under reported and are often unaddressed. Racial microaggressions are common, and by their subtle and often unintentional nature can be harder to identify and manage than overt racism. This report will detail the changes being made in a teaching hospital to address racial microaggressions by the creation of a bespoke comic illustrating adapted lived experiences of racial microaggressions.

An online questionnaire was sent to staff and students at Dundee Dental Hospital and Research School collecting examples of racial microaggressions experienced on dental clinics. A collaborative approach with the Scottish Centre for Comics Studies adapted examples of racist encounters obtained from the questionnaire into four distinct comic strips, illustrating common examples of microaggressions experienced on clinics. The comic was published and has been disseminated and discussed at a number of events and has been developed for use in a training workshop.

The comic highlights the emotional response of the recipients as well as the microaggresive behaviours themselves. The dissemination of the comic has initiated open discussion about racism and has accelerated the development of our anti racist action plan.

The resulting comic aims to improve visibility and awareness of the manifestations of racism on clinics and has led to the implementation of an interactive workshop on addressing microaggresions. We hope these stories will lead to a greater understanding of how microaggressions can detrimentally impact people. Identifying racial microaggressions allows us to consider our own behaviour and that of others to help create a community that is fair and inclusive.