title: Child abuse: a survey of ASDC members and a diagnostic-data-assessment for dentists.
abstract: Survey results on the subject of child abuse from the American Society of Dentistry for Children membership are reported. The survey results reflected the need of a documentation protocol for the dental office. A protocol is proposed which reviews the need of thorough assessment of orofacial lesions before concluding that child abuse exists. A data- and diagnostic-assessment form has been made using guidelines of the American Dental Association and other related referenced articles. The diagnostic-assessment form is presented to guide the practitioner through the documentation process and to develop a step-by-step decision on the probability of child abuse in any individual case.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio 78284-7888.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Saxe
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: McCourt
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control; D003729:Dental Care; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D004282:Documentation; D006801:Humans; D009055:Mouth / Q000293:injuries; D010377:Pediatric Dentistry; D010781:Photography; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011859:Radiography; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries; D014481:United States