JCU’s dentistry honour
Vital role in domestic violence screening
JAMES Cook University has been recognised for its groundbreaking program in helping dentistry students identify the signs of domestic violence in their patients.
The university’s School of Dentistry was acknowledged for its outstanding contribution to student learning for its Dentistry and Domestic Violence: Recognise, Respond and Refer program at last week’s Australian Awards for University.
The program, which screens patients for signs of domestic violence, was the first of its kind in Australia when it was introduced at JCU in 2015.
Dr Felicity Croker, from the university’s College of Medicine and Dentistry, said it was students who initially raised the need for the program.
“During their clinical placements, they saw possible signs of domestic violence in some of their patients, and were unsure as to what to do,” she said. “We realised we needed to equip our students to deal with this.”
The initiative includes roleplay scenarios to help students become comfortable when screening for domestic violence, or starting a conversation with a patient when they think this might be an issue.
They are also taught how to adapt their dental practices to put possibly traumatised patients at ease.
“One of the things a dentist is in a unique position to do, is look at signs of strangulation,” Dr Croker said.
“There has been a significant amount of cases where someone may have been strangled by a partner in the past, or there may be signs of bruising.
“They may even be able to see signs of abuse around the head or neck area.”
JCU Dentistry staff and students also work in partnership with the university’s social work staff, and with the Cairns Regional Domestic Violence Service.
Senior lecturer in social work, Dr Ann Carrington, said the program was not turning dental students into counsellors.
“We teach them within the framework of trauma-informed practice, which emphasises safety for everyone, and creating opportunities for survivors to rebuild a sense of control and empowerment,” she said.
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