F8: Dentistry’s Role in the Mass Disaster Scenario / Child Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence Recognition

In this lecture, the evolution of mass disaster management from the perspective of forensic dentistry will be discussed. Learn how forensic dentists have participated in events such as commercial airline crashes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and wildfires. See how the postmortem record collection has evolved from analog to digital along with the integration of dental postmortem software programs. Also, as dental health care professionals, you are mandated by law to report patients you suspect have signs or symptoms of physical abuse. These patients may be children, adults, or the elderly. The law assumes that you have had training on recognition of signs of abuse and if you have not, the law requires you to become educated on the subject. This course will also familiarize you with what those signs may be as well as discuss what your reporting duties are and how to properly file a report if you do indeed suspect abuse of a patient.  Understand the role that your dental record may play in the identification of a victim of a mass disaster.  Be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of physical abuse especially in the head and neck area. Become familiarized with your reporting duties as a mandated reporter and how to properly file a report if you do indeed suspect abuse on a patient.

Educational Objectives:

• Recognize the use of dental records in a mass disaster. 
• Understand the role of the forensic dentist in a mass fatality. 
• Recognize signs and symptoms of physical abuse. 
• Understand what your reporting duties are for a physically abused patient.