Forensic Dentistry Seminar Series – 2025
The objective of this course is to familiarize you with the various aspects of forensic dentistry including an overview of the role of the medical examiner, medical lead investigator, the forensic dental team and community dentist; and an introduction to victim identification based on dental records, bite mark analysis, photography for the forensic dentist, forensic anthropology, and forensic dental software.
Objectives
You will be exposed to the following:
- Introduction to Forensic Dentistry and Medicine – a general overview of the field.
- The Forensic Dental Team – covers various components of the forensic dental team, roles of the various components and how to create a forensic dental team.
- Dental Identification – importance of making a victim identification and what role the forensic dentist plays in identification.
- Bite Marks and role they play in criminal investigations – will discuss past and present research into bite mark analysis and the uniqueness of the human dentition.
- Mass Disasters – role of the dentist in assisting and making a dental identification during a mass disaster. Various components of the dental team, e.g., ante-mortem, post-mortem, comparison, and recovery teams.
- Forensic Anthropology – will review role of the forensic anthropologist in making identification of victims of a mass disaster and victims found in an open population.
- Role of the Medical Legal Death Investigator (MLDI) – will cover what a MLDI is and their function relative to an investigation.
- Role of All Dentists in regard to forensic dental investigations – will cover the dentist’s legal and ethical obligation during a forensic investigation, their role regarding record keeping, and their obligations to cooperate with authorities when records are requested.
- Medical Examiner’s Office – will explain the role of the Medical Examiner’s Office within the community from monitoring illness to death investigations.
- Photography – will explain the role photography plays in victim identification and bite mark investigations; and the pros and cons associated with forensic photography as it relates to dentistry.
- Forensic Dentistry Software – will expose participants to various types of software programs available to aid in victim identification of persons unknown and for managing mass disasters.
Program Director:
HARRY K. ZOHN, DMD
Professor, Department of Periodontics