Establishment of the forensic odontology department: A proposed model for the basic infrastructure and forensic odontology kit

Abstract

The importance and the application of dental science and forensic odontology in the legal system are gradually increasing in India. In a long-term vision, there is a need for a specialized forensic training curriculum not only for the undergraduate and postgraduate dental students but also for the experienced dental surgeons. Dental experts opinion is sought most commonly in forensic casework of human identification, age estimation, and sexual assault cases with patterned injury, by the legal and forensic authorities. As a consequence, there is a demand for dentists trained in forensic and legal dentistry and experienced in forensic, capable of dealing and managing medicolegal cases in dental institutes or state hospitals. Several guidelines and protocols for forensic odontology procedures are drafted and proposed by forensic odontology organizations. However, there are no specific guidelines or recommendations for the establishment of a specialized forensic odontology department or unit in dental institutes. Hence, this article addresses the necessity and requirements for a forensic odontology unit, proposing a model to follow. A comprehensive list of forensic odontology armamentarium and case dependent forensic odontology kits is also highlighted here.

Keywords: Dental anthropology; forensic odontology; odontology kit.

Figure 1

Linking of forensic odontology branch with other related branches

Figure 2

An example of a proposed plan for establishing the forensic odontology department in a dental/medical institute

Figure 3

An architect's model plan of a forensic odontology department

Figure 4

A customized kit of the principal author showing the different types of scales/rulers used in forensic odontology

Figure 5

The plaques of 10 nonmetric dental traits of the Turner–Scott dental anthropology system