Forensic Odontology: The Roles and Responsibilities of the Dentist


Forensic Odontology: The Roles and Responsibilities of the Dentist FULL TEXT • Sylvie Louise Avon, DMD, MSc • A b s t r a c t Dentistry has much to offer law enforcement in the detection and solution of crime or in civil proceedings. Forensic dental fieldwork requires an interdisciplinary knowledge of dental science. Most often the role of the forensic odontologist is to establish a person's identity. Teeth, with their physiologic variations, pathoses and effects of therapy, record information that remains throughout life and beyond. The teeth may also be used as weapons and, under certain circumstances, may leave information about the identity of the biter. Forensic odontology has an important role in the recognition of abuse among persons of all ages. Dental professionals have a major role to play in keeping accurate dental records and providing all necessary information so that legal authorities may recognize malpractice, negligence, fraud or abuse, and identify unknown humans. MeSH Key Words: dentists; forensic dentistry; dental records Related information:
Bureau of Legal Dentistry of the University of British Columbia American Academy of Forensic Sciences Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
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