Awareness of pediatric dentists in Türkiye on child abuse and a recommendation for a guide for dentists on child abuse

Child abuse and neglect encompass any behavior that is inappropriate according to societal norms and professionals, causing harm or hindering the development of a child. It is a serious and ongoing problem both in Türkiye and globally. This thesis aimed to collect information from dentists in Türkiye who are still pediatric dentistry residents or doctorate students and also who completed their education on child abuse. An electronic questionnaire link was sent to 840 email addresses of pediatric dentists in Türkiye. At the end of the data collection period, 297 individuals responded to the questionnaire (response rate 35.3%). The rate of feeling the need for education/information on child abuse and neglect was found to be 87.54%. Regarding the question of feeling competent in identifying child abuse and neglect and the procedures to be taken, 26.26% of participants felt adequate, 55.22% were undecided, and 18.52% felt inadequate. Participants with 0-3 years of professional experience had a lower level of knowledge about reporting centers compared to those with longer professional experience. Dentists working in university hospitals had higher levels of knowledge than those working in other centers. Dentists who did not receive education on child abuse and neglect during or after their undergraduate studies were found to be less knowledgeable on the subject and significantly less aware of the procedures to follow and the centers to report to when faced with child abuse and neglect cases. 87.5% of participants expressed a desire to receive education on child abuse and neglect. This study indicates that dentists, still require more and updated information on the topic of child abuse and neglect. Keywords: Child abuse, neglect, pediatric dentist, diagnosis of child abuse, reporting of child abuse.