About P.A.N.D.A.

P.A.N.D.A. (Prevent Abuse and Neglect through Dental Awareness) is a program designed to train dental professionals and other healthcare providers to recognize and respond to signs of abuse and neglect in their patients. The program, founded in Missouri by Dr. Lynn Mouden, has grown into various P.A.N.D.A. coalitions across 44 states and 7 countries. Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia have united to form the Mid-Atlantic P.A.N.D.A. Coalition with the help of CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield. Other participants in the Coalition include the Maryland State Dental Association, the University of Maryland Dental School, District of Columbia Health Department, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Maryland Dental Hygienists' Association, and the Delaware Department of Health.

The mission of the Mid-Atlantic P.A.N.D.A. Coalition is to train healthcare providers to recognize and respond to signs of family violence. The goal of the P.A.N.D.A. program is to heighten awareness among healthcare professionals, and anyone who has contact with children, in the hopes of ending acts of abuse and neglect.