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Diversity in Dentistry Action Group (DDAG) response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza

We join others in the dental profession in expressing deep concerns about the grave humanitarian situation in Gaza, which includes the complete breakdown of dental care services. We share, and support, the below statement from the DDAG.

Upholding our shared humanity

The Diversity in Dentistry Action Group (DDAG) was established in 2020 to promote equality, equity and inclusivity. As dental professionals, we are guided by a commitment for compassion and the duty to protect health and dignity. In times of global humanitarian crises, these values call on us to respond with empathy and unity. The DDAG is committed to standing against injustices and we commit to using our collective voice to call for a profession-wide stand against the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The indiscriminate attacks on Gaza’s healthcare, civilian and educational infrastructure, alongside the restricted entry of aid has rendered access to basic services such as oral healthcare, impossible.1 As of May 14, 2025, the death toll stands at 52,928, but this is likely to be under-reported by 41%. 2 3 1,200 healthcare workers have been killed since October 2023, of which 50 are dentists. There are also 384 documented cases of unlawful detention of healthcare workers, of which 6 are dentists. This includes Dr Mosab Abu Aarqoub, a Professor of Prosthodontics at the Faculty of Dentistry, Al-Quds University.4 Before the escalation, UNRWA operated 24 dental clinics for 1.3 million Palestinian refugees; by July 2024, only 4 remained.5 The need for urgent humanitarian assistance, medical access, and the restoration of health services is critical.

Leading international human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and genocide scholars, including the President of the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS), have warned that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.6 In response, many respected health and humanitarian organisations — including UNICEF, Save the Children, Oxfam, The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, The Royal College of Nursing, The Royal College of General Practitioners, The Royal College of Physicians, The International Child Health Group; have called for immediate action.

Some dental care professionals have attempted to vocalise their concerns about the devastation, death and destruction in Gaza, but many have been met with censorship, silence or apathy. We commend the leadership of The British Society of Paediatric Dentistry for their recent statement in providing a catalyst to illustrate the urgency of this crisis within dental spaces.

We respectfully urge all dental organisations to collectively acknowledge the gravity of the crisis, and act upon these shared humanitarian concerns through:

  1. Supporting calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.
  2. Supporting calls for the return of the remaining Israeli and Palestinian hostages.
  3. Advocating for the protection of civilians and healthcare workers, in accordance with international humanitarian law.
  4. Promoting safe and unrestricted access to humanitarian aid - including lifting the blockade of food, goods and medical aid entering Gaza.
  5. Championing efforts to restore oral healthcare services in Gaza, including supporting injured children and their families to receive care abroad.
  6. Collaborating on a long-term oral health recovery and dental education and training plan with both UK-based and international partners.
  7. Nurturing safe, inclusive spaces for dental professionals to express humanitarian concerns without fear of reprisal.

Speaking up for human rights is not a political act – it is an expression of shared humanity. This is an opportunity to unite as a professional community, regardless of background, and maintain our duty of advocating for the protection of life in Palestine with compassion, courage and action.

Wednesday 11 June 2025
[email protected]

 References

  1. UN Relief and Works Agency. UNRWA situation report #122 on the situation in the Gaza strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. UN Relief and Works Agency 2024 [Accessed 10 June 2025]
  2. Paris, Laura et al. Deterioration of health outcomes in Gaza: 19 months of protracted conflict. The Lancet, Volume 405, Issue 10494, 2041 - 2044
  3. Jamaluddine, Zeina et al. Traumatic injury mortality in the Gaza Strip from Oct 7, 2023, to June 30, 2024: a capture–recapture analysis. The Lancet, Volume 405, Issue 10477, 469 – 477
  4. Healthcare Workers Watch. Unlawful Detention of Healthcare Workers by Israeli Occupation Forces in Palestine since October 7, 2023. February 25, 2025 Update [Accessed 10 June 2025]
  5. Al-Jadba G, Zeidan W, Spiegel PB, et al. UNRWA at the frontlines: managing health care in Gaza during catastrophe. The Lancet 2024; 403:723–6.
  6. Centre for International Policy. Growing Consensus on Israel’s Atrocities in Gaza [Accessed 10 June 2025]