Role of Dental Professionals in Intimate Partner Violence

A majority of IPV cases (around 75%) include injuries and trauma to the neck and head. Dental professionals are in a unique position to encounter and examine such injuries.⁷

Dental professionals report a variety of barriers to intervention including:

• limited knowledge and training about IPV issues,

• lack of practical experience on how to intervene,

• misconceptions about the nature of intervention,

• fear of being sued (which when done with good intentions and “reason to believe” is not an issue),

• lack of information on resources for reporting,

• presence of others in the examination room (including the patient’s partner or children),

• concerns about offending the patient, and

• embarrassment about bringing up the topic.