Dentists who notice their patients may be experiencing domestic violence will have better guidance on how best to respond as advocates say the profession is uniquely positioned to identify abuse.
A first-of-its-kind legal guide has been released as part of domestic violence prevention month after a collaboration between James Cook University (JCU), North Queensland Women's Legal Service (NQWL) and domestic violence specialists Be Conscious.
Many health professionals say they have limited formal training in recognising and responding to patient disclosures of violence.
Dentists are often among the first health professionals to see possible signs because they treat areas commonly impacted by abuse, NQWL representative Ashleigh Lawrence said.
"The guide recognises dentists as important contributors to domestic and family violence identification and response," she said.
