IHS Division of Oral Health (DOH): Feature
Domestic violence is a health care problem of epidemic proportions. Oral health providers are in a pivotal position for identifying head, face, and neck injuries typical of domestic violence or child abuse. To raise awareness about this public health issue, the Division of Oral Health encourages dental providers to become better informed by downloading, reading, and sharing with others the following resources:
- “Silence is Deadly” (12/3/2008 - PDF - 185KB) was published in the June, 2008 issue of AGD Impact. The article describes the dentist’s role in domestic violence prevention. Indian Health Service, Division of Oral Health, was given permission to post this article on the dental portal acknowledging the copyright permission from the Academy of General Dentistry.
- “Enhancing Dental Professionals’ Response to Domestic Violence” is an important publication produced by the National Health Resources on Domestic Violence. It presents facts, recommendations, references, and a call to action to make a commitment to changing health care practices. Go to www.endabuse.org/health for additional information.
- Carolyn Aoyama, CNM, MPH, the Indian Health Service Senior
Consultant for Women's Health, announced a web-based "portal" to
materials on domestic violence and oral health is now available at http://www.mchoralhealth.org/AZ.html. This portal is the result of collaboration
among IHS Division of Oral Health, IHS Women's Health, HRSA's Maternal and
Child Health Bureau, and the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource
Center.
- “What Victims of Domestic Violence Need From the Dental Profession” (4/7/2009 - PDF - 4.21MB) was published in the April, 2009 issue of Journal of Dental Education. The article discusses the role of dentists in identifying victims of domestic violence.