Alcohol-related violence and the role of oral and maxillofacial surgeons in multi-agency prevention

The maxillofacial region is by far the most frequently selected target in assaults on adults. There is a causal link between alcohol intoxication and injury. Therefore, oral and maxillofacial surgery is, in effect, the lead speciality for those injured in violence and has a responsibility to orchestrate holistic care that takes into account mental health needs. Recent years have also seen a determined effort by oral and maxillofacial surgeons to get involved in wider issues of prevention, exemplified by the national UK BAOMS Facial Injuries Awareness Week. Multi-agency prevention, not just with mental health professionals in the case of individual patients, but also with emergency medicine, public health, local government, the police and the voluntary sector is key to success. Given the potential complexity of collaborations like this, it is important to understand what works in multi-agency prevention. This paper reviews successful interventions: their rationale and how oral and maxillofacial surgeons can contribute to local injury prevention.