Therese Kvist1, Madeleine Cocozza2, Eva-Maria Annerbäck3,4, Göran Dahllöf1. 1. Department of Dental Medicine, Division of Paediatric Dentistry, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden. 2. Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. 3. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. 4. Centre for Clinical Research Sörmland, Uppsala University, Eskilstuna, Sweden.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Dental professionals are required to report suspicions of child maltreatment to the social services. As yet, no studies assess the prevalence of these mandated reports from dental care services or their content. AIM: This study investigates the prevalence and characteristics of mandated reports from dental professionals to the social services. Furthermore, it analyses associations between dental professionals reporting suspicions of maltreatment with such reports from other sources. DESIGN: The study collected dental mandatory reports from within one municipality of Sweden during 2008-2014. The material consisted of a total of 147 reports by dental professionals regarding 111 children. RESULTS: The total prevalence of reports from dental care services to the social services was 1.5 per 1000 children with a significant increase between 2008 and 2011 (P < 0.001). The primary cause for a report concerned parental deficiencies in care (n = 93) and secondly, a concern for dental neglect (n = 52) (P < 0.001). Among all reports, 86% involved children with prior contacts with the social services. CONCLUSION: Reports to the social services from dental care services on suspicions of child maltreatment concern parental deficiencies (failure to attend appointments) and neglect (dental neglect). Mandated reports from dental care services often co-occur with other mandated reports.
BACKGROUND: Dental professionals are required to report suspicions of child maltreatment to the social services. As yet, no studies assess the prevalence of these mandated reports from dental care services or their content. AIM: This study investigates the prevalence and characteristics of mandated reports from dental professionals to the social services. Furthermore, it analyses associations between dental professionals reporting suspicions of maltreatment with such reports from other sources. DESIGN: The study collected dental mandatory reports from within one municipality of Sweden during 2008-2014. The material consisted of a total of 147 reports by dental professionals regarding 111 children. RESULTS: The total prevalence of reports from dental care services to the social services was 1.5 per 1000 children with a significant increase between 2008 and 2011 (P < 0.001). The primary cause for a report concerned parental deficiencies in care (n = 93) and secondly, a concern for dental neglect (n = 52) (P < 0.001). Among all reports, 86% involved children with prior contacts with the social services. CONCLUSION: Reports to the social services from dental care services on suspicions of child maltreatment concern parental deficiencies (failure to attend appointments) and neglect (dental neglect). Mandated reports from dental care services often co-occur with other mandated reports.