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

Abstract

Child abuse and neglect are tragic realities of American society. However, most U.S. dental schools do not provide students with adequate training to deal with the problem. This article proposes expanding the predoctoral dental curriculum with a problem-based learning model that can effectively stimulate critical thinking skills to assist graduates in screening and reporting suspected child abuse and neglect throughout their careers. The unique multicultural environment of dental school offers students an unprecedented opportunity to develop awareness about child abuse and domestic violence, while increased vigilance can potentially save innocent young lives. Educating students about proper protocol when they suspect child abuse or neglect is imperative, particularly for dental schools involving students in community sealant and other preventive programs in public schools. By expanding their curriculum to include recognition and intervention, dental schools can help break the cycle of violence and transform attitudes towards taking decisive action. Clinical curricula that have moved to private practice preceptor models are well suited to screen for child abuse. The goal is to motivate dental schools to deal with this critical issue, develop reporting protocols and procedures for appropriate response, and provide their students with consummate training.

Screening for substance misuse in the dental care setting: findings from a nationally representative survey of dentists

“…Training programs for dentists and dental students have been implemented to include evidence‐based techniques in such areas as motivational interviewing, smoking cessation counseling, dental treatment of HIV+ patients and early detection of child abuse and neglect. These have been accompanied by documented changes in dentists’ confidence, behaviors and practices . Within the medical community, brief training for medical residents in the management of substance misuse has shown improvements in substance misuse inquiry, due notably to increased provider confidence and treatment optimism .…”

Recognizing and reporting domestic violence: attitudes, experiences and behavior of Dutch dentists

“…Furthermore, it appears that educational interventions such as online tutorials and an e-learning module seem to have positive effects in particular when it comes to knowledge of DV and recognizing it [ 30 – 32 ]. Based on literature it can be assumed that the e-learning method the KNMT offers is a good initiative [ 33 , 34 ]. Maybe this method can also create a better understanding of the different steps in the reporting code.…”

Odontólogos y Obligación de Denuncia del Abuso Sexual Infantil en Chile: Oportunidades Perdidas

“…Esta preocupación no es aislada ni azarosa; a diferentes niveles pero con igual grado de compromiso, odontólogos en todo el mundo han reconocido estas vulnerabilidades y han generado coaliciones destinadas a brindar herramientas suficientes diagnósticas y de asesoría legal para la prevención del abuso infantil: PANDA (Prevent Abuse and Neglect Through Dental Awareness) en los Estados Unidos (con filiales en 44 estados), o BEAR (Basic Education for Abuse Recognition) en Canadá desarrollan intensas campañas de capacitación, con financiamiento institucional y gubernamental (Lincoln & Lincoln, 2010). Trasladar estos estándares a nuestras latitudes implica fuertes compromisos de universidades, asociaciones científicas y entidades de acreditación (Ivanoff & Hottel, 2013), responsabilidades hoy no asumidas a ningún nivel odontológico en Chile. Sin embargo, consideramos que las cargas no son de exclusiva competencia académica; visualizando esto como una tríada odontólogo/médico forense/juez, la insuficiencia de un odontólogo como efector de diagnóstico y denuncia ante lesiones orales por delitos sexuales, obliga al médico clínico y/o forense a tener que detectar señales sobre las que no ha sido capacitado (con el consiguiente subdiagnóstico) y al juez a dirimir fallos con la evidente falta de suficiencia de pruebas.…”