Forensic odontology deals with the examination, handling and presentation of dental evidence for the legal system. You will develop your knowledge, experience and skills in forensic dentistry, and in aspects of forensic medicine, law and research.

You will study:

Practical sessions include:

• dental identification and profiling
• disaster victim identification
• age estimation from dental sources
• dental report writing and giving evidence
• limitations of bite mark identification
• dental autopsy instructions using the Thiel cadavers (facility offered by the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHID))
• image acquisition with portable X-ray unit
• interpretation of antemortem and post-mortem dental data
• a mock trial and first-hand experience and training with PlassData software for disaster victim identification

Studying alongside students in forensic medicine and law means you will gain an understanding of the role of other forensic disciplines and identify when, where and how forensic dentistry links with the wider forensic community. You'll develop your forensic dentistry skills through practical experience, assisting with identifications of human remains. This will make you aware of the complexity involved in the examination of a person's body after death.

Careers:

You can go on to work in a regular dental practice and provide expert opinion when requested by coroners or procurator fiscals, police, and solicitors. Some forensic dentists work in cases involving dental insurance fraud and litigation cases. Many countries have established a Disaster Victim Identification team and forensic dentists are an important part of it. You can also be deployed as a team member of a privately held company.