Child maltreatment: Cross-sectional survey of general dentists.

BACKGROUND: Child abuse continues to be a social menace causing both physical and emotional trauma to benevolent children. Census has shown that nearly 50-75% of child abuse include trauma to mouth, face, and head. Thus, dental professionals are in a strategic position to identify physical and emotional manifestations of abuse.

AIM: A cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess knowledge and attitude of dental professionals on the exigent issue of child abuse.

METHODOLOGY: With prior consent, a 20-question survey including both multiple choice and dichotomous (yes/no) questions was mailed to 120 state-registered general dentists and the data collected were subjected to statistical analysis.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The overall response rate to the questionnaires was 97%. Lack of knowledge about dentist role in reporting child abuse accounted to 55% in the reasons for hesitancy to report. Pearson's Chi-square test did not show any significant difference between male and female regarding the reason for hesitancy to report and legal obligation of dentists.

RESULTS: Although respondent dentists were aware of the diagnosis of child abuse, they were hesitant and unaware of the appropriate authority to report.

CONCLUSION: Increased instruction in the areas of recognition and reporting of child abuse and neglect should be emphasized.