All members of the dental team should look out for signs of child abuse and neglect, paediatric specialists have warned.

Speaking at a study day on safeguarding children in dentistry at the Royal College of Surgeons, Jenny Harris, specialist in paediatric dentistry, Sheffield salaried primary dental care services, urged all members of the practice team to share their knowledge and concerns and to look out for danger signals such as missed appointments.

‘Child maltreatment and dental caries occur side by side in deprived communities,’ she said. Research showed more than 60% of dentists saw children with neglected teeth every day. But 40% had never made a referral to social services, or inquired whether a child was on the child protection register, she told the meeting.

Dr Harris, who will be speaking at the British Association of Dental Therapists conference in Liverpool this month (20-21 June) suggested that staff concerned about a child's dental neglect should adopt a three stage process: first raising issues with parents and monitoring progress, then checking the child protection register and liaising with other agencies, before, finally, making a referral to social services if the situation is deteriorating.