Knowledge, attitudes, practices, and training needs of Kentucky dentists regarding violence against women

Dentists may be the first (and perhaps the only) health care professionals to treat patients who have experienced oral facial trauma resulting from domestic violence. Dentists are likely to see the signs of abuse while performing an oral examination and they often develop relationships with patients that could allow them to detect subtle changes in patients that may indicate signs of domestic violence. This study sought to assess the knowledge, attitudes, practices, and training needs of Kentucky dentists regarding domestic violence against women (VAW). A written survey was sent to a population of 1,892 eligible licensed dentists in Kentucky; 790 (42%) were returned. Ninety percent of the respondents were general dentists and the distribution by practice location was almost equal among urban, suburban, and rural dentists. Only 7.0% of respondents reported having any training in the prevention of VAW. When asked "... are you legally required to report suspected cases of VAW to the appropriate authorities, regardless of the patient's wishes?", 42% answered "no." An overwhelming majority (82%) indicated that they would like more training and information regarding VAW identification and management. Based on analysis of the data, Kentucky dentists would benefit from and be interested in additional education opportunities concerning recognizing, referring, and managing patients who may be the victim of domestic violence.