DELTA DENTAL'S P.A.N.D.A. PROGRAM TACKLES CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION AT THE GRASS ROOTS LEVEL
-Dentists, Community Leaders, School Nurses and Others are First Line of Defense-

WHAT
During Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month in April, Delta Dental mobilizes the largest national effort to educate dental professionals about preventing, recognizing, and reporting child abuse and neglect. In New Jersey, Delta Dental's P.A.N.D.A. (Prevent Abuse and Neglect through Dental Awareness) presentations are offered free of charge by the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation, Inc.

P.A.N.D.A. presentations were originally created for dentists, who are in a good position to recognize abuse and neglect, because most injuries occur to the head, face, and neck areas. In recent years, the program has been expanded and is now available to any group of ten or more professionals who regularly deal with children. Teachers and school nurses are among the audiences who learn how and when to intervene in time to prevent tragedy.

WHO
Lawrence A. Dobrin, D.M.D., is a spokesperson for the Delta Dental of New Jersey P.A.N.D.A. Coalition; practicing dentist in Roselle Park, New Jersey; and Forensic Dental Consultant to Regional Medical Examiner, NJ/Forensic Consultant to OCME-NYC, Past-President of the American Society of Dentistry for Children. "The most important thing to know about reporting abuse is that it could save a life. Children die every day from injuries caused by child abuse. Often, someone was aware of the abuse, but didn't report it," said Dr. Dobrin.

Dr. Dobrin is available to discuss:

• Physical and behavioral indicators of child abuse and neglect.

• How and when to intervene.

• Procedures for reporting suspected abuse.

• Referral resources to help prevent abuse and neglect.

• What Delta Dental's P.A.N.D.A. program is about.

• How community groups can receive P.A.N.D.A. training.

WHY
P.A.N.D.A. was originally created for dentists who are well positioned to detect child abuse, because two out of every three injuries occur to the head, face, and neck areas. Studies have indicated that dentists are nearly five times as likely to report suspected abuse if they receive the proper education.

P.A.N.D.A. training is available to others in the community, who will be in a better position to intervene if they know and understand the warning signs of abuse and the procedure for reporting.

HOW
To schedule a free presentation in New Jersey, please contact Delta Dental at 973-944-4555. In Connecticut call the Connecticut State Dental Association at 203-278-5550. Those in New Jersey who attend are eligible for one to three State Board of Dentistry continuing education credits, depending on the length of the presentation. For more information visit http://www.deltadentalnj.com/company/panda.sthml.

UPCOMING NEW JERSEY P.A.N.D.A. PRESENTATIONS/MEDIA INVITED TO ATTEND:

April 7, 7-9 PM, Union County Dental Society at Shackamaxon Golf & Country Club, Scotch Plains

April 10, 1-4 PM, Dental Studies Institute, Fairfield

April 15, 8-10 AM, University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey (UMDNJ), Newark (senior class dental students)

May 5, 10 AM-12 PM, Middlesex County College, Edison (dental hygiene students)

About Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc.
Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc., is New Jersey’s and Connecticut's leading dental benefits carrier, providing coverage to more than one million people through contracts with employers in New Jersey and Connecticut. The Delta Dental Plan system offers seamless dental benefits administration for employer groups throughout the country and the largest network of credentialed dentists in the nation. For more information visit us on the Web at www.deltadentalnj.com.