Dental students' knowledge and reporting of child maltreatment: Where are we at today both here and abroad?

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The study investigates whether suspected child abuse/neglect (SCAN) training in dental school has increased dental student SCAN knowledge and, consequently, reporting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 25-question survey used to assess for SCAN knowledge in 2006 was readministered to a group of dental students at one US dental school in St. Louis, MO, which has integrated SCAN training into its curriculum for at least 3 years, and one dental school in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, which has not integrated SCAN training as a control. RESULTS: Of 16 questions assessing for SCAN knowledge, group US students answered 14 questions correctly and performed better than US students surveyed in 2006. By comparison, group Bulgaria students with no SCAN training answered 15 questions correctly. When asked what their legal responsibilities were concerning SCAN, 96.4% of group US students knew they were required to report, whilst only half of group Bulgaria (48.9%) responded correctly. The results suggest that integrating SCAN training into the curriculum is effective in conveying this important message. However, in a question asking students whether they encountered a child at dental school who they suspected was the victim of child maltreatment and if so, how did they act, there were no indications that students at either school made any reports as the question was either answered "no" or left blank. The number of SCAN cases reported by campus authorities was also zero. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that classroom training in SCAN is not motivating students to report SCAN at their dental school, despite increased knowledge.