Background: Child abuse and neglect is a serious global health issue which not only affects the victims’ physical and mental health but also, by extension, on society in general. Each year, however, millions of children around the world are the victims of and witnesses to physical, sexual and emotional violence. Aim: The aim of the present study is two-fold: to access the attitude, knowledge and perceptions of the dentists regarding child abuse, and to investigate professional characteristics associated with the identification of suspected child abuse. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire was sent to 250 dentists including both graduates and post graduates who are members of DCI working in various cities of Punjab. The questionnaire consisted of 23 questions in all regarding the demographic data, practitioner’s knowledge concerning child abuse and their personal experience with the suspected and confirmed child abuse cases. Results: Of the 250 dentists surveyed, response rate was 100%. Awareness about signs of physical, sexual and diagnostic indicators of abuse was present amongst most of the dentists. No one had ever reported a case of child abuse and only 12% know where to report. When enquired about the child helpline number, only 35.2% had knowledge about the same. Conclusion: The results indicate lack of awareness among the professionals about where and how to report child abuse cases. So they need to receive information for the same.
Key Words: Child abuse, sexual, emotional, dentist’s knowledge, reporting.