Child abuse and dentistry: a study of knowledge, perspective and attitude among the dentists of west Bengal

Aims A cross sectional study was undertaken to assess the level of knowledge, experience and attitude regarding child abuse and neglect among dentists of West Bengal. Material and Methods Data was collected from an anonymous, self-report questionnaire from 160 dentists of West Bengal. Data was interpreted in SPSS software. Descriptive statistics was generated and Chi square test was used to compare between groups. Results Results of this present study suggest a lack of proper awareness and thorough knowledge among the dentists of West Bengal. This is preventing them from recognizing suspected cases of child abuse and neglect. Lack of knowledge about legal procedures against child abuse poses a barrier to report diagnosed cases effectively. Summary and Conclusion Further improvement in child abuse education is needed to enhance the dental professionals’ ability to identify child abuse and neglect cases and rise above this serious child healthcare issue. Key Words-child abuse, awareness of dentists, child maltreatment