The role Tennessee's dentists must play in preventing child abuse and neglect.

Dentistry must become more aware of its moral, legal and ethical responsibilities in recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect. All dental professionals must be aware of the seriousness of the problems of child maltreatment, and understand that children do not just get hurt in abuse and neglect, they often die as a direct result of their maltreatment. Unfortunately, as was pointed out by Warnick, victims of child abuse and neglect fall into only two categories--those who lived through it and those who did not.