Sir, recently, a case in which a hospital dentist needing to make an admission was unsure of the patient's gender raised issues of awareness. The patient identified herself as female and this was respected throughout her uneventful stay in hospital and treatment but the case highlighted a number of pending issues related to the dental care of intersex, transgender and trans-sexual individuals:

  • Have we given due consideration to these patients in our routine practice?

  • Is our curriculum adept in sensitising us to the issues of this community?

  • Are hospital policies explicit in the way such individuals must be handled?

  • Are the medical, psychosocial and legal aspects of dental care for these patients clearly understood?

  • Is it feasible and recommended to have special wards earmarked for them?

  • How do we ensure a non-discriminatory healthcare environment for these patients?

  • How can they be mainstreamed in the medical milieu?

Two years back the Honourable Supreme Court of India made an important observation that 'Many hospitals and other institutions do not admit [transgender individuals] in women's wards because women do not feel comfortable or free in their presence and in men's wards they face sexual abuse. Provision of separate wards in all hospitals and other institutions is necessary'.1 Nothing substantial appears to have happened since then. We believe that many of our worldwide colleagues have faced a similar situation and request the BDJ to bring these issues to the attention of the worldwide dental fraternity, steer the process of finding effective solutions and help in achieving a truly equitable dental healthcare system for all.