Introduction to Forensic Dentistry and Training Programs
- Forensic dentistry involves handling, examining, and evaluating dental evidence in a criminal justice context.
- It is used in both criminal and civil law.
- Forensic dentists assist in identifying human remains, particularly in cases with limited identifying information.
- They determine age, race, occupation, dental history, and socioeconomic status of unidentified individuals.
- Radiographs, photographs, DNA analysis, and bite marks are used as evidence.
- India offers certificate courses, fellowship programs, and masters degree programs in forensic odontology.
- Australia has postgraduate diploma programs available at universities like The University of Melbourne and The University of Western Australia.
- Belgium offers a masters program in Forensic Odontology at KU Leuven.
- The United Kingdom offers MSc and Masters programs in Forensic Dentistry and Forensic Odontology at the University of Dundee.
- The United States has odontology training programs at The University of Texas Health Science at San Antonio and the University of Tennessee.
Forensic Odontology in Canada
- Dental school candidates in Canada are required to complete a BA or at least three years of study in a BA program before obtaining a dental degree.
- There are no graduate study programs specifically for forensic odontology in Canada.
- Dental degrees given in Canada include DDS (doctor of dental science) and DMD (doctor of dental medicine).
- Canadians can certify for the ABFO, a section of the American Academy of Forensic Science, which involves an examination and a career checklist of accomplishments.
- Ontario has a group of 10 forensic dentists known as the Province of Ontario Dental Identification Team (PODIT).
High-profile Criminal Cases
- Forensic odontology played a key role in the Salem Witch Trials, the Gorringe case in 1948, the Doyle v. State case in 1954, People v. Marx in 1975, and other cases involving Fredrik Fasting Torgersen, Wayne Boden, Ted Bundy, Jesse Timmendequas, and Ray Krone.
Organizations in Forensic Odontology
- Several organizations are dedicated to forensic odontology, including the American Board of Forensic Odontology (ABFO), American Academy of Forensic Science (AAFS), and International Association for Identification (IAI).
- The ABFO offers certification for forensic odontologists.
- The AAFS holds scientific sessions and workshops on identification, civil litigation, age determination, and bite-mark analysis.
- The IAI also provides resources and training for forensic odontology.
Importance of Forensic Odontology and International Collaboration
- Forensic odontology plays a crucial role in identifying human remains and assisting in disaster victim identification.
- Bite mark analysis is another area where forensic odontology is utilized.
- Forensic odontology can provide valuable evidence in criminal investigations.
- Various international organizations promote collaboration in forensic odontology, such as IOFOS and AFOHR.
- International conferences and workshops are held to exchange knowledge and advancements, and collaboration between different countries' forensic odontology societies is encouraged.
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Forensic dentistry or forensic odontology involves the handling, examination, and evaluation of dental evidence in a criminal justice context. Forensic dentistry is used in both criminal and civil law. Forensic dentists assist investigative agencies in identifying human remains, particularly in cases when identifying information is otherwise scarce or nonexistent—for instance, identifying burn victims by consulting the victim's dental records. Forensic dentists may also be asked to assist in determining the age, race, occupation, previous dental history, and socioeconomic status of unidentified human beings.
Forensic dentists may make their determinations by using radiographs, ante- and post-mortem photographs, and DNA analysis. Another type of evidence that may be analyzed is bite marks, whether left on the victim (by the attacker), the perpetrator (from the victim of an attack), or on an object found at the crime scene. However, this latter application of forensic dentistry has proven highly controversial, as no scientific studies or evidence substantiate that bite marks can demonstrate sufficient detail for positive identification and numerous instances where experts diverge widely in their evaluations of the same bite mark evidence.
Bite mark analysis has been condemned by several scientific bodies, such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and the Texas Forensic Science Commission.
