Other
Arthur Begotti silva, DMD
Resident- PGY-1
Nemours Children's Health
Nemours Children's Health
Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, United States
Stephanie Deutsch, MD MS FAAP
Nemours Children's Health
Katheryn Goldman, DMD, MPH, ABD
Nemours Children Health
Wilmington, Delaware, United States
Katheryn Goldman, DMD, MPH, ABD
Nemours Children Health
Wilmington, Delaware, United States
Purpose: To determine how dental neglect has been historically, and is currently, conceptualized in the Child Abuse and Neglect User Manual Series.
Methods: A textual analysis was performed of both the New and Revised, and the 1990s versions of the Child Abuse and Neglect User Manual Series as published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families. The study employed a qualitative approach through the theoretical framework of grounded theory. Eleven search terms were utilized to locate areas in the text where dental health was mentioned: dental, oral, mouth, tooth, teeth, dentist, dentistry, toothbrush, cavity, decay, and caries. Findings: The term dental neglect was never specifically mentioned, and often the concept of dental neglect was grouped within medical or generalized child neglect. Dental concerns were noted in greater specificity in the Revised Manuals.
Discussion: The findings of the analysis highlight the importance of dental and social work interprofessional collaboration. Interconnection between dental and social professionals would help bridge access to care issues that may lead to unintentional neglect. Secondly, greater dental professional involvement in child welfare assessments would help to provide clinical and historical context to situations of dental neglect in both isolation and as a part of greater child neglect that could provide clarity and insight into potential cases of child maltreatment.