Dental Office Abuse

Abuse is a topic commonly associated with children or spouses. Rarely is it associated with the elder population. The elderly, generally noted at being 60 years or older, are supposed to be the population that is venerated among others. However, elderly abuse is one of the most common cases of abuse in the United States. Older individuals tend to be weaker and cannot protect themselves as readily, allowing them to be more vulnerable to abuse. In the dental office, there is usually a significant population of geriatric patients. A dental office can serve as a protected place for an elderly patient to relay information to a profession, or can be used to train professionals to be on the lookout for possible abusive scenarios. Abuse is often

Often times it is in their own home or at an assisted living facility. One in ten Americans ages 60 years or older have experienced some form of abuse. Within those abuse or neglect cases, 60% of harm is inflicted by a family member. The rates of abuse increase if the elderly patient has a disability, and even more if it is a mental disability. Social isolation is the biggest form of abuse among the elderly with a disability (National Council on Aging, 2018). If a case of abuse is suspected, whether in a dental office or simply walking down the street, it is your duty to stand up for the abused or battered person. Only one in fourteen cases of elderly abuse is reported (National Council on Aging, 2018). That statistic could be lower if more people reported their supported

It is extremely important that clinicians can recognize these specific lesions when associated with dental neglect in the elder population. If an elder patient is seated in the chair where abuse is suspected, the hygienist should be sure to document all oral findings. These discoveries include rampant caries, unusual lesions and soars in the mouth, fractured dentures, untreated periodontal disease, and poor oral hygiene. Not only should hygienists note all oral findings, but they should also pay particular attention to the rest of the body during an extra-oral exam. This is conducted in the IUSB clinic under the general appearance category. Some key areas to keep in mind when observing if signs abuse are present include the arms, legs, and face. When examining a patient’s arms, there tends to be signs of bruising or lesions on the wrists of these individuals. The face can exhibit evidence of bruising on the skin around the eyes, forehead, or cheeks. Other things to pay attention to are skull fractures, a broken nose, or a busted lip (Wilkins, 2017, p. 936). It is important to remember, these injuries may not be recent. It is imperative to note any lesions in a healing process, as well for the well-being of the patient. If the patient is alone in the operatory without the caregiver or spouse present, it is beneficial to ask the