The Importance of the Dentist's Perception in Face of Violence Against Women: Literature Review

Abstract

Violence against women is a complex phenomenon, as it manifests itself in different forms, social classes, and contexts, being it responsible for irreversible damages capable of affecting the health of the victims. This literature review sought to gather knowledge about violence against women to alert dentists on how to act and be able to repair physical and moral damage within their field of expertise. A bibliographic search was carried out in Scielo, Lilacs, Pubmed, and Capes databases using the keywords, “Violence against Women”, “Violence”, “Dentistry” and “Notification”. The inclusion criteria were articles in Portuguese, English, and Spanish that contained clinical findings of lesions in the head and neck region, epidemiological and legislative data regarding the ethical-legal aspects of health professionals. Exclusion criteria were incomplete articles and studies related to violence against elderly people, adolescents, children, and sexual violence. The studies showed that dentistry professionals have little or no knowledge on the subject, evidencing a lack of training in carrying out the diagnosis and preventing potential damage to health. It also demonstrated the need for further scientific clarification, the inclusion of the topic in undergraduate programs, and training courses for professionals who have already graduated. Even in cases of suspected violence, it is essential that dentists are aware of the importance of reporting it and not limit their care only to the care of physical injuries so that they can contribute to the prevention and reduction of this phenomenon, through comprehensive and humanized care.