October 9, 2026

Act 31 – Child Abuse Recognition & Reporting for Dental Professionals

1:30 – 3:30 pm

Credits:  2 

2 CE credits required every licensure cycle for dentists, hygienists, EFDAs and recommended for all office personnel

PDA’s program, Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting for Dental Professionals, is approved by the Department of Human Services and the PA State Board of Dentistry and will fulfill Act 31 mandatory CE requirements for licensed dental professionals (dentists, hygienists and EFDAs).

Upon completion of the course, the participant will:

Understand categories of child abuse as defined by the Child Protective Services Law.

Recognize universal child abuse indicators.

Recognize clinical and intraoral pathologies of physical and sexual abuse.

Understand the legal responsibilities as mandated reporters.

Know when, how and where to report suspected abuse, and what happens after a report is made.

Understand the protections for reporters and penalties for failure to report.

About the Speaker – Steve Neidlinger 

Steve Neidlinger is an association professional with over 25 years of experience in unsuccessfully explaining to strangers what his job is. He has spent the last nine years as Executive Director at the Pennsylvania Academy of General Dentistry, where he has mastered the art of smiling and nodding while being presented with complicated dental concepts. When he’s not solving complex problems or creating even more complex ones, Steve enjoys fixing office equipment through his uncanny ability to turn them off and back on again. Steve looks forward to this course, and if it leads to one more contact to ChildLine to intervene in a potential abuse situation, it will be the most valuable two hours we spend together this year.