In her 2020 book Caste: The Origin of Our Discontents, Isabel Wilkerson argues that a caste system not only exists in the US, but also operates as a hidden force affecting social inequality. In this paper, Healthforce Center’s Associate Director for Research Dr. Elizabeth Mertz and colleagues explore Wilkerson's view of how caste and casteism differ from racism and then apply the concept of caste to understanding dominant power structures in dentistry, and their connection to oral health inequality.

This short read is an important opportunity to reflect on how the work we do exists within social, economic, and political structures that are often maintained by unquestioning participation. Efforts to dismantle structural racism and advance health equity to create real social change begin with examining our own individual biases.