Socio‐Economic Consequences of Dental Trauma due to Police Use‐of‐Force: A Multi‐Method Study

AIM: This study aimed to explore the socioeconomic consequences of traumatic dental injuries caused by the police use-of-force during social mobilizations in Chile. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a multi-method, qualitative-dominant study. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients who suffered a dental trauma injury due to police use-of-force in the context of social mobilizations in Chile. Participants included individuals aged 18 and above who provided informed consent. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis. In addition, the costs of dental treatment were estimated based on data from the clinical record. The total treatment cost per patient was calculated, and descriptive analysis was performed. RESULTS: Seven individuals were interviewed, with ages ranging from 18 to 43 years. Content analysis identified four main themes: social consequences, direct economic consequences, indirect economic consequences, and functional consequences. Social consequences included restrictions on social activities, impacts on interpersonal relationships, and a negative perception of the Chilean police. The direct and indirect economic consequences encompassed perceptions of the costs of dental treatment, time spent recovering or attending treatment sessions, and overall difficulties in working or continuing studies, while functional consequences included modifications to daily living activities such as chewing, eating, speaking, and controlling saliva. The estimated direct costs of dental treatments per case averaged USD 1293 (standard deviation: 553.86). CONCLUSIONS: Traumatic dental injuries resulting from police use-of-force during the 2019-2020 social mobilizations in Chile led to significant and diverse socio-economic and functional consequences. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Understanding the socio-economic consequences of traumatic dental injuries caused by police use-of-force is crucial for developing comprehensive care and support systems for affected individuals, highlighting the broader implications of such injuries.