Dentists in Stoke are being trained to spot domestic abuse

A Stoke-on-Trent charity is working with dental teams across Stoke-on-Trent to help them spot the signs of domestic abuse and offer support to patients.

Specialist staff from domestic abuse charity Glow are supporting dental staff – including dentists, nurses, hygienists and receptionists - to recognise these signs, ‘ask the question’ if they are worried about a patient and safely respond to disclosures.

On average, 75% of injuries inflicted through domestic abuse affect the head and neck, areas which dentists see whilst doing routine check-ups. This means that dental teams are in a unique position when it comes to spotting the signs of abuse.

Hayley Ferns has been delivering some of the training. She said: “The whole dental team are in a really unique position to spot domestic abuse and respond to disclosures.

“Many domestic abuse injuries occur to the head and neck, and dentists see these areas up close during routine check-ups.

“But each member of the dental team has an important role to play, by observing any changes in health or behaviour that can be seen as an indicator of domestic abuse.

“Staff often form long-lasting relationships with patients, with many attending the same practice for several years.

“Every victim of domestic abuse deserves the right response at the right time, to keep them safe. With the right information and tools, we know that dentists will be better equipped to ‘ask the question’ and signpost patients to support.

“I’m really proud that we are able to deliver this training to so many dental professionals. We can already see the positive difference that it’s having which is amazing."

Glow want to get more dental practices on board and spread the word to help more victims of domestic abuse.

Hear the latest news from across Staffordshire and Cheshire on the hour, every hour, on 102.6FM, 96.9FM & 96.4FM. You can also listen on DAB, smart speaker, at signal1.co.uk and on the Signal 1 app