Elder Abuse & Neglect Reporting Protocol introduced at the UCLA School of Dentistry Clinic

1. Further, institutionalizing a detection and reporting protocol in the dental clinic, where students practice under direction of clinic faculty, ensures that academic knowledge is translated into action. With support of the Archstone Foundation’s Elder Abuse and Neglect initiative, an elder abuse and neglect detection and reporting protocol has been developed and institutionalized (as of July 2009) at the UCLA Dental Clinic, the community-facing arm of the UCLA School of Dentistry. 1. National Center for Health Statistics 2007. Health, United States, 2007 with chart book on trends in the Health of Americans. Hyattsville, MD. 2. Tilden V, Schmidt T, Limandri B, Chiodo G, Garland M, Loveless P. 1994. Factors that influence clinician's assessment and management of family violence. American Journal of Public Health. 84(4), 628-633. Elder Abuse & Neglect Reporting Protocol introduced at the UCLA School of Dentistry Clinic UCLA Dental Clinic Elder Abuse & Neglect Screening and Reporting Protocol • If your clinic patient is over 65 or a dependent adult (someone with a physical, developmental or emotional disability who is wholly or partially dependent upon one or more other persons for care or support) ask the following questions: • 1) Are you afraid of anyone at your home or care facility? • 2) Do you ever feel your medications are not available when you need them? • 3) Are you ever in need of help with brushing, flossing or taking care of your teeth but not able to find someone to help you? • If your patient answers “YES” to any of the three questions, this may indicate possible abuse or neglect. You are instructed to notify a group director and refer to Reporting Suspected Elder Abuse or Neglect protocol in the house staff manual. Dentists are members of the cadre of health professionals serving as mandated reporters of elder abuse and neglect. Older adults make up a large portion of dental practice patients; according to the National Health Interview Survey, 58% of adults over 65 years of age reported at least one visit to the dentist in 2006.1 Dentists are in a unique position to detect elder abuse and neglect because approximately 75% of all physical domestic violence results in injuries to the head, neck, and/or mouth area which are clearly visible to the dental team during examinations and treatment.2 Educating pre-doctoral dental students about their responsibilities as mandated reporters of elder abuse and neglect is one of the first windows of opportunity to infuse a base level of detection and reporting competencies in these future dental professionals. Project Funded by Archstone Foundation Elder Abuse & Neglect Initiative #08-01-04 Contact: Melanie Gironda, MSW, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor UCLA School of Dentistry mgironda@dentistry.ucla.edu