Abstract

Child abuse, a reprehensible act, pervades all strata of society. It has increased dramatically over the last decade.The awareness regarding the same has been minimal in the developing countries.Dentists especially the pediatric dentists are more likely to encounter cases of child abuse in their clinical practice. The purpose of this article is to review the oral and dental aspects of physical and sexual abuse and dental neglect in children and the role of pediatric care providers and dental providers in evaluating such conditions.A precocious assessment and diagnosis of child abuse, in a dental practice, could considerably contribute in the identificationof violence cases in an early intervention. The pediatric caregivers and other dental caregivers should be encouraged tocollaborate to increase the prevention, detection, and treatment of these conditions in children.