Open AccessSignificance of Dental Records in Personal Identification in Forensic Sciences
Author(s) -
Vagish Kumar L Shanbhag
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of forensic science and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.132
H-Index - 6
eISSN - 2455-0094
pISSN - 2349-5014
DOI - 10.4103/2349-5014.155551
Subject(s) - forensic science , identification (biology) , forensic identification , forensic odontology , psychology , dentistry , medicine , history , biology , archaeology , botany
Forensic odontology is a branch that connects dentistry and the legal profession. One of the members in the forensic investigation team is a dentist. Dentists play an important and significant role in various aspects of the identification of persons in various forensic circumstances. However, several dentists and legal professionals are quite ignorant of this fascinating aspect of forensic odontology. A need was felt to fill this gap. The dental record is a legal document possessed by the dentist and it contains subjective and objective information about the patient. A PubMed search and Google search were done for articles highlighting the importance of dental records in forensic sciences using the key words "forensic odontology, forensic dentistry, forensic dentists, identification, dental records, and dental chart". A total of 42 articles relevant to the title of the article were found and reviewed. The present article highlights the role of dentists in forensic sciences, their possible contributions to forensics, and the various aspects of forensic dentistry, thus bridging the gap of knowledge between the legal and the dental fraternities