Dr. Akeyla Brown talks personal experiences, shifting strategies and whether the very concept of DEI is misunderstood.

MOST PEOPLE AGREE on values like equal pay, diverse job applicant pools and making work accessible for those with disabilities. Nonetheless, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives have become a subject of impassioned debate among Americans and businesses. The landscape is shifting: Some large corporations that rushed to implement DEI policies abandoned them with similar haste. Others, including Apple, Goldman Sachs and Patagonia, remain committed.

This debate might amount to little more than background noise for dental practice owners if properly implemented DEI policies can help at least partly alleviate challenges like staffing shortages and hiring difficulties. We asked Dr. Akeyla Brown, an oral surgeon and clinical director of DEI and community engagement at MAX Surgical Specialty Management in Livingston, New Jersey, for her insights. (Dr. Brown was a member of the Incisal Edge 40 Under 40 Class of 2022.)

How would you describe your role?
Fostering an inclusive health care environment that improves the patient, provider and staff experience. My primary goal is to identify areas where that experience can be enhanced. For example, we noticed that as our practices have grown, there was a need to make our services more accessible, so we instituted translation services and translated intake forms.

How do you set DEI-related goals?
We have identified and engaged stakeholders through surveys and collaborative brainstorming sessions. I also use my extensive experience in public health and daily clinical experiences to formulate initiatives.

African-American women make up a very small percentage of oral surgeons. Chances are, no matter where you go, you’ll be a minority. How has that helped shape your perspective?
This is so unfortunate, isn’t it? There is such a gap here, and sadly it is growing. The percentage of black dental students has decreased recently. Like a lot of other black practitioners, I attended a historically black university. During my training, not only did I have the opportunity to work with culturally diverse practitioners, but also a lot of women. I was really fortunate, but I was also sheltered from the reality that I am a minority. I think it gave me a lot of confidence. I wasn’t working from a place of trying to prove myself as worthy because I’m black. I simply had to get good so that I could prove myself worthy as a practitioner to have the privilege of treating patients. My diverse training also afforded me the opportunity to think about health care disparities and social determinants of health early in my career.

MAX Surgical Specialty Management is focused on delivering administrative and business support for the practices you partner with. How do you provide help and guidance to practices with so many unique identities and different levels of autonomy?
Partnering with practices that strive to do the right thing, deli­ver an exceptional patient experience and foster a safe work environment makes it easy to provide support that offers autonomy to surgeons. Our practices, believe it or not, were cognizant of their diverse patient populations even though they didn’t have an official DEI director or community relations department, and took steps towards creating culturally competent spaces. Some of the initiatives that we have are the result of collaboration between practices more than directives.

DEI implementation is not a one-size-fits-all propo­sition. In your opinion, what are the keys to a successful DEI initiative?
Any company that incorporates DEI in its mission and vision is doing it right. Being authentic is key. Taking a scientific approach to your initiatives is essential to successful programs, and that should be led by authenticity and the desire to make the communities you serve better.

For some, DEI has developed a negative connotation. Do you think the term itself has become a distraction?
No matter what you call it, if someone weaponizes a term it can become a problem. “Affirmative action” was weaponized, and now “DEI” is being weaponized. What I know for sure is that there are disparities that need to be addressed, and addressing those disparities is good for business and good for the world. Diverse workpla­ces are more successful. Addressing disparities tackles poverty, disease and mortality, and thus has economic benefits solely as a cost-saving measure. Closing gaps doesn’t mean someone is going to be disenfranchised; it means that the world will be better for more people. That is what DEI is: a means to closing gaps and making workspaces equitable. Equitable for veterans, women, those with disabilities and people of color.

It has been suggested that companies scaling back or eliminating their DEI programs perhaps adopted them too quickly or weren’t genuinely committed in the first place. What’s different about your organization?
We are surgeon-led. We continue to do what is right and what the surgeons are passionate about. The surgeons at MAX care about their patients, staff and community equally and deeply. DEI is a manifestation of that.

“Taking a scientific approach to your initiatives is essential to successful programs, and that should be led by authenticity and the desire to make the communities you serve better.”

Small, independent dental practices obviously have limited resources and relatively small staffing needs. What advice would you give to practices wishing to make DEI part of their culture and hiring process?
I’m glad you asked. I think culture is really important for employee candidates. Knowing that your practice cares about creating a healthy work environment that is considerate of people’s unique needs is a draw. I recently spoke at [the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons] about clinical and administrative collaboration to create an effective DEI initiative. A large number of support staff attended the meeting and seemed really passionate about the topic. The sentiment was, “I want to be somewhere where I feel safe and understood.” Also, creating better relationships within the community through philanthropic endeavors is essential to meeting your company’s mission and vision. DEI and community engagement are worth the investment, and research has shown that.

Finally, how do you envision MAX’s DEI program evolving in the coming years?
I don’t want to speak for MAX, but I hope the program encourages more practitioner diversity and diversity in its partnerships. That’s something I already see as a priority, and I can’t wait to see how the efforts materialize.