Domestic Violence Screening: The Role of the Dentist

Objectives: To present the role of the dentist in screening domestic violence victims, by presenting a) three cases and b) a management protocol of the victims that should be adopted by dental practitioners based on the latest bibliographic data.
Methods: Based on the presentation of three cases of domestic violence victims the major contribution of the dentist to the management of these cases will be presented. Moreover, a management protocol of domestic violence victims that should be adopted by dental practitioners will be presented based on the latest bibliographic data.

Results: Two of the cases concerned small children that attended the dentist with injuries in the dentomaxillofacial area. They presented tooth and oral mucosa injuries. Their parents couldn’t clearly explain how these injuries have been caused and why they didn’t seek treatment earlier. The third case concerned a middle-aged female that attended the Department of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology in the NKUA, Greece. She was unable to open her mouth and had a swell on the right side of her lower jaw. The clinical and radiographic examination revealed a fracture in the lower jaw. The patient confessed that she was a victim of domestic violence.
Conclusions: Most of the injuries that occur in domestic violence incidences concern the head and neck. So, dental professionals should be alerted since they are in an ideal position to identify signs and symptoms of physical abuse.