What is Forensic Odontology? 

 

The easiest way to answer this question is by defining the word "forensic".  Forensic means of, or pertaining to the law or legal matters.  Therefore, forensic odontology is, in part, the application of the dental sciences to the law or legal matters.    

 

     Such matters may include, but are not limited to the following:

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• The identification of human remains in single or multiple death events.

• Civil litigation against, or in defense of licensed dental professionals within a state, province, territory and country.

• Age assessment based upon dental anatomy and anthropology for purposes of: identity, amnesty, social services and criminal prosecution parameters.

• Recognition and evidentiary processing of confirmed or suspected abuse and neglect of children, adults and elders.  

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 FORENSIC-Clinical Consulting

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          Largely my consultations are postmortem human identification, via gross evidentiary specimen retrieval and processing within Medical Examiner’s/Coroner’s Departments. This is accomplished by postmortem clinical dental record creation: all aspects of dental radiology, forensic photography and the antemortem dental record survey to sustain a scientifically supported identification. My experience includes multiple fatality incidents using physical anthropology and human odontology in the recognition of co-mingled and extensively disarticulated human remains, as well as single death human identification based upon dental recording, examination and antemortem record research.  I am credentialed by the FBI in $M report creation and report analysis of the dental characteristics of national missing and unidentified persons reports.  I work under the authority and permission of the ME/Coroner and in tandem with dentists and anthropologists.  

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    FORENSIC-Civil Consulting

          As a subject matter consultant of the dental professions, I provide experience based opinion, including oral testimony of the skills, abilities, procedures and judgements (SAPJ's) essential to the safe practice of the dental professions at point of entry into the profession; as well as of those tenured in the professions.   For matters of civil litigation naming a dental professional, there are no jurisdictional boundaries within the United States that obstruct my participation on behalf of any defendant or entity requesting a consultation, case review for merit and opinion on cause of action, or testimony.

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