Fair's fair? Equality and diversity in practice

To provide information on equality and diversity and how it impacts on dental practices.

? To understand diversity and how each individual has their own needs.

? To recognise the need to treat others equally and fairly in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

The vast majority of us would, I suspect, like to think we are right-minded people who treat other people fairly. Indeed, in England, the Care Quality Commission's (CQC, 2010) original essential standard requiring practices to treat people with ‘dignity and respect’ caused a big debate when these were first introduced to practices as a compliance issue, as many practices felt that this was something that was part and parcel of a caring health care practice and implicit in what they already did.