During Child Abuse Prevention Month, we’re reminded that keeping kids safe from abuse and neglect is up to all of us. It’s estimated that over 50 percent of injuries from child abuse are on the head and neck. That means there are warning signs of abuse front and center for dentists, dental hygienists, and other dental professionals who see patients twice annually. Dental professionals have unique opportunities to ask important questions, provide key information, and observe both parents and children for warning signs of abuse and neglect.

We are eager to highlight Delta Dental of Kentucky and Kosair Charities Face It Movement for their partnership to build awareness, educate, and equip Kentucky’s dental community with tools and resources to recognize and report signs of child abuse and neglect.

“Delta Dental of Kentucky is excited to announce our partnership with the Kosair Charities’ Face It Movement, which will equip the dental community of the Commonwealth with the needed tools to recognize and report child abuse,” said J. Jude Thompson, President & CEO of Delta Dental of Kentucky. “Keeping kids safe from abuse and neglect is up to all of us, and dental professionals can play a key role in helping build a safe Kentucky for kids.”

This partnership seeks to build awareness, educate, and equip Kentucky’s dental community with tools and resources to recognize and report signs of child abuse and neglect. This initiative will have four main components:

  • Engage dental professionals across the state to determine their baseline knowledge of child abuse and neglect recognition and reporting.
  • Analyze responses and identify resources that are most effective for dental professionals to recognize and report child abuse and neglect.
  • Develop targeted resources to equip dental professionals on how best to report child abuse and neglect.
  • Launch and integrate resources for dental professionals in the Face It network.

“As dental professionals who see patients daily, this partnership allows us to be more engaged and proactive in preventing child abuse and neglect. Through targeted resources, best practices, and identified action steps for practitioners, we can effectively intervene to keep kids safe in our community,” said Dr. Laura Hancock Jones, a family dentist at Union County Family Dental and chair of the Kentucky Oral Health Coalition.

Everyone has a role in ensuring communities are safe places for children to grow and thrive, and through this initiative, we look forward to engaging our membership and oral health stakeholders from across the state.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about this partnership and other ways to get involved in the movement.

Learn more about Delta Dental of Kentucky and the work they do across the state here.