Child abuse and dental neglect: the dental team’s role in identification and prevention

Abstract

Health, education and social services are placing increasing emphasis on preventing abuse and neglect by early intervention to support families where children and young people may be at risk. Dental hygienist and dental assistants, like all other health professionals, can have a part in recognizing and preventing children from those who would cause them harm. They should be aware of the warning signs, recognizing what to consider as abuse or dental neglect and know how to deal with these young patients, and to fulfil their legal and ethical obligation to report suspected cases. The purpose of this report is to review the oral and dental aspects of child abuse and dental neglect thus helping the dental team in detecting such conditions. In particular, this report addresses the evaluation of bite marks as well as perioral and intraoral injuries, infections, early childhood caries and diseases that may be indicative of child abuse or neglect. Emphasis is placed on an appropriate protocol to follow in the dental practice to best treat and protect children who may have suffered abuse, helping the team in the diagnosis and documentation.

Comprehensive Training in Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect for Dental Students: A Hybrid Curriculum

“…The students also learn how to detect and evaluate bite marks related to physical and sexual abuse, particularly when ecchymoses, abrasions, or lacerations are found in an elliptical or ovoid pattern. 3,[25][26][27] Bite mark analysis can provide an important link between a victim and the suspect, especially if casts of the suspect match up with casts of the bite mark itself. The students are taught to document the bite mark with a photograph, which can then be evaluated by a forensic pathologist.…”

Calidad de vida y su asociación con la negligencia en el cuidado dental en preescolares

“…El rol del odontólogo en la sociedad contempla también el peritaje legal y la valoración del daño en casos de abuso físico, como parte del equipo forense, ante lo cual es necesario vislumbrar que, en un futuro, la labor del odontopediatra en el Perú necesariamente incorporará la misión de proteger a la población infantil en riesgo ( 41 ), como es usual en otros países, en donde las leyes y sociedades científicas pediátricas consideran una obligación legal y ética el reportar los casos de sospecha de abuso y de negligencia en el cuidado dental ( [7][8][9][10]20,23 ). Por ello, su labor y experiencia clínica deben ser tomadas en cuenta por la ley para la toma de decisiones respecto de la situación legal de un menor de edad y para determinar el interés superior del niño cuando su salud, vulnerabilidad y seguridad se encuentren comprometidos ( 38 ), como sucede en los casos en los que se justifique una acción legal de tenencia infantil.…”

“…En países como EE. UU., Canadá y Reino Unido, la capacitación para todo profesional que trabaja con población infantil es obligatoria con la finalidad de identificar los signos de maltrato y erradicar el temor de reportar alguna sospecha a los servicios sociales ( [8][9][10][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] ).…”

Children's oral health and the role of the pediatrician

“…Pediatricians can play a larger role in the oral health of children, and dentists can play a larger role in the overall health of their young patients. Dentists have the opportunity to impact the overall health of children in a number of areas, including obesity prevention [38 ,39 ] and the prevention and recognition of child abuse [40,41 ], to name but two.…”