Always act to protect the vulnerable

The dental team can sometimes be in a position to observe and identify possible signs of abuse or neglect: such as bruising, burns, bitemarks and eye injuries. In early June, the General Dental Council (GDC) issued a news release (GDC, 2008a) which stated: ‘Dentists and dental care professionals (DCPs) are well placed to identify possible abuse or neglect of children or vulnerable adults—and have a responsibility to raise their concerns if they do’. The GDC president said: ‘It is the responsibility of all members of the dental team to know what to do if they are concerned about the possible abuse or neglect of children and vulnerable adults’. In addition he stated: ‘If you make a professional judgement and decide not to share your concern with the appropriate authority, you must be able to justify how you came to this decision. If you are unsure of the local procedures in your area, you have a duty to find out what they are, whether you work for the NHS or in private practice’. The GDC sites a potential c...