An apparatus for inspecting a display panel for defects includes a table which supports the display panel, a laser excitation unit that irradiates a non-display area of the display panel with a point laser beam, a thermal wave detecting unit that generates thermal wave images of irradiated portions of the non-display area, a driving unit, and a control unit. A groove corresponding to an edge of the display panel may be defined in a top surface of the table. A defect, such as a crack, may be detected by comparing a defect pattern obtained from the thermal wave images with a pre-registered defect pattern.