As a dental professional, your positive impact on your patients can extend past good oral health. By being observant and reporting suspected cases of abuse or neglect, you can play a vital role in shielding your patients from harm. Cases of suspected child or adult abuse or neglect might be uncovered during examinations. If suspected cases are discovered, a verbal report should immediately be made by telephone, or another means, to law enforcement and/or a representative of the local department of social services office. Reports of suspected cases of abuse or neglect can also be made by calling the MCNA Abuse Hotline at 1-855-FWA-MCNA (1-855-392-6262).

Child abuse is the infliction of injury, sexual abuse, unreasonable confinement, intimidation, or punishment that results in physical pain or injury, including mental injury. Abuse is also an act of omission.

Adult abuse is defined as "the infliction of physical pain, mental injury, or injury of an adult." An adult is defined as "(a) a person 18 years of age who because of mental or physical dysfunction is unable to manage his [her] own resources or carry out the activity of daily living or protect himself [herself] from neglect or a hazardous or abusive situation without assistance from others and who may be in need of protective services; or (b) a person without regard to age who is the victim of abuse and neglect inflicted by a spouse."