Keeping kids safe is an adult responsibility. KOHC invites oral health professionals to learn more about unique ways you can help protect kids for Face It’s TEN-4 WEEK during the first week of October. This is an annual series of trainings and resource-sharing to bring awareness to the ways you can recognize and report child maltreatment and neglect as well as support family health and resilience to prevent it.  

Recognize: About half of injuries due to child abuse are on the head and neck – meaning the warning signs of abuse are front and center for oral health professionals. Face-It’s Health Professionals Toolkit can help you identify which injuries may be most concerning — including torn frenula, soft palate, pharyngeal injuries, and missing primary teeth — and how best to ask questions about the cause. 

The TEN-4-FACESp Bruising Rule is an easy-to-remember technique to recognize concerning bruising on young children.  

To learn more, join one of the Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma Prevention & Recognition and TEN-4-FACESp Bruising Rule trainings coming up in October. This year there are virtual and in-person training options: 

  • Virtual: Wednesday, October 2 at 10:00am – 12:00pm ET with Dr. Kelsey Gregory, Child Abuse Pediatrician. REGISTER HERE 
  • Virtual: Thursday, October 3 at 5:30pm – 7:30pm ET with Carla Hay, RN, MSN, SANE, AFN-C. REGISTER HERE 
  • In-Person: Friday, October 4 at 11:00am – 1:00pm ET with Dr. Melissa Currie, Child Abuse Pediatrician. At Kosair for Kids, 982 Eastern Pkwy, Louisville, KY 40217. REGISTER HERE 

Report: As an adult in Kentucky, if you know or have reasonable cause to believe that a child is experiencing abuse or neglect, you must report it.  

Prevent: It’s necessary to report signs of abuse and neglect, when kids are already experiencing harm, and indeed this can help prevent further escalation. Another big part of prevention — what we can do to help build family health and resilience – is important to avoid these situations from happening at all. Lifting up research-based protective factors can help protect kids. 

Isolated and stressed parents and caregivers often value the adult interaction of health professionals. Building trust is important so that they feel they can be open with you. Compassion and care can go a long way to help protect families.  

Share: Understanding child development can help parents and caregivers know what to expect and is a key factor to prevent child abuse and neglect. Face It offers a wealth of resources about ages and stages for you to share. 

Build awareness of TEN-4 with tools from Face-It’s social media packet or secure a TEN-4 Day Proclamation in your community. Visit Face-It’s TEN-4 page and scroll to TEN-4 Day Proclamations and TEN-4 Resources to learn more.  

Take Action: Remember, as adults we all have a role to play to recognize, report, and prevent child abuse and neglect. As trusted health professionals with unique access to information, oral health professionals are vital to helping to keep kids safe!