Child Abuse and Neglect Screening: The Role of the Dental Team

Child abuse is a worldwide public health and social issue that affects people from all social classes equally. Child abuse or maltreatment includes "all forms of physical and emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect, and exploitation that results in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, development or dignity". Any deliberate action or attempt of maltreatment to a person younger than 18 years old is considered child abuse. Recognizing the dentist's critical role in identifying children who have been the victims of domestic abuse it is required to recognize and report perioral indications of child abuse. In accordance with rase of domestic violence and child abuse incidence, dentists are now required to become familiar with the perioral warning signs of child abuse and to report any suspected cases to the relevant authorities in accordance with state legislation. The aim of the study is to present the contribution of the dental team in the identification of children victims of abuse, through the presentation of two cases.