[Child abuse--relevance for dental care].

Injuries due to maltreatment of children focus on the head and neck region, neglect often results in an early destruction of the dentition. Children suffering maltreatment or neglect are regularly seen as emergency cases and the dentist is probably the only one able to early diagnose the type of injury and protect the child by reporting the case. This implication stresses the importance of knowledge of the general dental practitioner on this topic.