Supporting Oral Health Practitioners’ Role in Child Protection: Current Approaches and Effort

Child protection is an essential aspect of hauora for tamariki and taitamariki, and the role of oral health practitioners in this realm is increasingly recognised. In a unique capacity, oral health practitioners stand at the forefront of identifying orofacial manifestations of maltreatment within the orofacial region, supporting patients and their whanau, and collaborating with an integrated team of diverse disciplines (Han et al., 2022). Regrettably, studies reveal diminished responsiveness among New Zealand's oral health practitioners in child protection matters (Tilvawala et al., 2014), with a noticeable lack of clear guides or strategies to assist them. A scoping review is proceeding to explore international approaches and efforts to support oral health practitioners’ role in child protection. This review employs a systematic approach to identifying and mapping the breadth and depth of evidence in the field, irrespective of the source. The JBI methodology for scoping reviews guides the process (Peters et al., 2020), utilising the PCC (Population – Concept – Context) framework to establish inclusion and exclusion criteria. Any approaches and efforts to address and enhance the responsiveness of oral health practitioners in child protection were included in the review. A three-step search strategy was implemented, the search was conducted across five databases, and further searching of the grey literature was conducted. Two independent reviewers screened a total of 787 sources, and 25 sources were included in the review. Every step was piloted and calibrated to ensure consistency. A piloted data extraction form is used to help synthesise data systematically. The key findings can inform future policy development, practice guidelines, and educational initiatives to enhance the responsiveness and role of oral health practitioners in child protection.