Introduction

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Elder Maltreatment (EM) are widespread problems that affect people from all cultural, ethnic and socioeconomic segments of society, and it is considered to be a significant public health issue by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC considers the definition of “intimate partner” to include both current and former spouses as well as those people you date.¹ However, some segments of society have a greater risk for violence, such as younger women ages 18-34, LGBTQ+ women, people with disabilities, and those of lower socioeconomic statuses.² IPV includes multiple types of violence: physical and sexual violence, stalking, and psychological intimidation by a former or current partner.³ The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that millions of Americans are affected by IPV yearly, making it a very common public health problem.³ The CDC estimates that more than 1 in 3 women and more than 1 in 6 men have experienced physical violence, sexual violence, and/or stalking throughout their lives by an intimate partner.¹ Moreover, domestic violence hotlines report they receive nearly 20,000 calls nationwide on a typical day.^4,5 There are many reasons why a person stays in an abusive relationship, but leaving these types of relationships can be incredibly difficult and dangerous.⁶ For older adults (over age 60), nearly 1 in 10 will experience elder abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation. That number moves to 1 in 5 if the individual has cognitive deficits.⁵

Experiencing IPV can result in acute health issues, but can also manifest itself into chronic health issues for the victims.⁸ Chronic health impacts can include, but are not limited to, the following systems: cardiac, muscular, digestive, nervous, and mental health issues.¹ Victims of IPV are also more likely to engage in behaviors that are coping mechanisms, but also impact health (e.g., smoking, binge drinking, etc).¹ Therefore, not only does IPV have direct oral impacts, but also impacts systemic health. There is a wealth of evidence linking systemic health to oral health.

While all health professionals in the United States are legally mandated to report suspected cases of child maltreatment to the proper authorities, mandatory reporting of cases of IPV and EM may vary by state. The best practice is to understand one’s local/state reporting laws, as failing to report when mandated could lead to a variety of consequences, including possible loss of your professional license.⁹ Unfortunately, dental professionals as a group have been less inclined to report IPV, especially as compared to other medical professionals despite the fact that dental professionals are in a unique position to recognize head and neck injuries that are common results of IPV and EM.¹⁰ The dental office may be the most consistent place a victim receives health services, and a dental professional is often the most trusted health professional in a victim’s life.¹¹ Therefore, dental professionals attuned to issues of domestic violence should be able to recognize and identify many of the warning signs of IPV and EM and ultimately help these individuals.