When it comes to having access to quality health care, minorities still lag behind their white counterparts, research shows, and that can include dental and orthodontic problems that get postponed or go untreated. “This is a huge problem because regular checkups and care are critical to keeping your teeth and gums healthy,” says Dr. Bobbi Peterson, an orthodontist who is an African-American. One contributing factor to the limited care for minorities is a lack of diversity in the medical profession. Studies have shown that minority patients are more likely to visit medical professionals who also are minorities, but diversity among dentists does not mirror the overall population at all, according to the American Dental Association. In a 2015 study, for example, just 3.8 percent of dentists were black, while the nation’s overall black population was 12.4 percent. Meanwhile, just 5.2 percent of dentists were Hispanic, compared to 17.7 percent of the overall population. For many people, this does matter, and there’s even a mobile app and website called Hued that tries to match patients with black and Latino doctors. “Of course, for many people there might not be any medical providers whose offices are that close to them,” Peterson says. “Even in a place as large as Brooklyn, I’m one of only three black-female orthodontists with their own office.” Peterson says it’s important to put patients at ease when they arrive in the office. Otherwise, they might not be inclined to return. “I like to greet them with a smile and give them a detailed description of what their treatment plan should be,” she says. “They need to know what to expect.”