title: The neglect of our youth: a dental perspective.
abstract: Although child abuse has received much well-deserved media attention in recent years, neglect, the other component of child maltreatment is still misunderstood and underreported. Societal problems such as poverty and increased substance abuse among already dysfunctional families have increased the chance of neglect occurring. The signs and symptoms of dental neglect, a form of medical neglect, are discussed. It is sometimes difficult for the dentist to distinguish between ignorance of dental disease and overt negligence on the part of a parent. It is hoped that, more dentists will get involved in combatting not only dental neglect, but all forms of neglect as well.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Jessee
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003729:Dental Care; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010551:Personality; D011203:Poverty; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*