Dental Care Taking of Sexual Abused Victims

Objectives: A visit in dental care and a sexual abuse situation are shown to have similarities, both by presenting a subordinate, powerless position, and therefore both with a possibility to cause the same devastating psychological and bodily reactions.
Objective. To explicate and describe the experience of dental care taking, from the perspective of sexually abused victims.
Methods: Methods. Thirteen participants (11 women) who experienced sexual abuse as children or adults and in whom the abuse experiences were remembered and expressed during a dental appointment, were interviewed. The informants were encouraged to tell in their own words and in as much detail as possible about encounters in dental care. To provide for empirical variation of the participants, some strategic selection criteria were applied; sex, age and class. The interviews were recorded digitally and transcribed verbatim. The collected material was analyzed according to Qualitative Content Analysis.
Results: Results. The preliminary results indicate a two-sided reluctance (both patient and dentist) to disclose a sexual abuse experience. When offering the patient control and contribute to an even distribution of power, the dental treatment is facilitated.
Conclusions: Conclusions. Based on an understandning of that the patient has been sexually abused, and individually tailored patient centered treatment is suggested. With knowledge of the victim's needs, dentists can provide an improved treatment and care, and avoid crossing the border in a way that is harmful to the individual.