Child and dentist brushing teeth
child protection and the dental team
Introduction - why you need to know Abuse and Neglect - what you need to know Child Protection - responding Safeguarding children - in dental practice
Assessing the childWhat to do if you are worried about a childWhat happens next?Information sharing and confidentialityForensic aspects of child protection practiceDiagrams and clinical photographsDNA SamplingBite marks (forensic aspects)Managing dental neglectSummary flow chartReturn to homepageGlossaryReferencesFinding your local contactsFurther informationFurther trainingDownloads Forensic aspects of child protection practiceDNA Sampling

Where a child has been assaulted, it may be possible to obtain forensic evidence, including DNA sampling.20 You may be asked to assist the police in obtaining such samples, for example through taking swabs of a bite mark or other injury. Strict procedures must be followed in order to ensure the validity in court of any samples (e.g. a clear, documented “chain of evidence” where a sample is passed from one person to another with no possibility of contamination).
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