Forensic Dentistry Course Outline
Module 1:
Foundational Skills
Human Dental Comparison
Human Dental Identification
Report Writing
Week 1
Introduction to Forensic Dentistry
Principles of a Medico Legal Autopsy
Principles of Human Dental Comparison
Principles of Human Dental Identification
Week 2
Race and Gender Determination
Cranial, Mandibular, Dental and Arch Morphology
Week 3
Forensic Dental Photography
Week 4
Forensic Dental Radiography
Week 5
Categories and Terminology in Body Dental Comparison and Identification
Overview
Report Writing
* WEEKLY PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS
* WEEKLY ZOOM WEBINARS WITH THE COURSE DIRECTOR
Module 2:
Mass Disaster Management
Circumstances in Disaster Situations
Oral and Facial Conditions
WinID
Week 1
Medico-legal Work in Major Disasters
Guidelines and Problems in Disasters
Burned, Incinerated and carbonized
Extreme Heat on Teeth, Root Canal Filling, Resins, Ceramics
Trauma and Heat Related Fractures
UV and Dental Restorations, SEM
Week 2
Problems in Mass-Disaster Dental Identification Implants
Implants
The Edentulous
Trabecular Bone in Identification
Fractal Analysis
Week 3
Role of the Dental Disaster Team in Mass Fatality Incidents
Maintaining Proper Identification
Suicidal Terrorism
The Pathology of Terrorism: Biological, Infectious and Chemical Terrorism
Terrorism X-Ray Screening
Week 4
Design and Assessment of Mock Mass Disaster
Aviation Pathology
Mutilation
Trauma
Week 5
Guidelines for Explosion Fatalities
War and Genocide Graves
Exhumation
Week 6
Emerging Infectious Diseases
Adipocere
Luminol
Radiocarbon and Strontium Dating
Thermography
Week 7
Rap Up
Emotional and Psychological Impact
Lessons Learned in Disaster Situations
Forensic Dental Career
* WEEKLY PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS
* WEEKLY ZOOM WEBINARS WITH THE COURSE DIRECTOR
Module 3:
Human Dental Age Assessment
Human Dental Age Assessment Report Writing
Week 1
Forensic Oral Examination of Children versus Adults
ABFO Standards & Guidelines for Dental Age Assessment
Week 2
Human Age Assessment by Dental Analysis:
Pre-natal, Child, Adolescent, Adult Dentitions
Ageing Techniques:
AlQahtani
Demirjian
Harris
Moorees, Fanning, Hunt
Week 3
Human Age Assessment by Dental Analysis
Adult Dentition vs Legal Age
Ageing Techniques:
Alqahtani
Demirjian
Mincer
Nortje, etc.
Week 4
Human Age Assessment by Dental Analysis:
Adult Dentition
Ageing Techniques:
Bang, Ramm
Cameriere
Johanson
Kvaal
Lamendin
Maples
Prince, Ubelaker
Week 5
Human Dental Age Assessment Report Writing
* WEEKLY PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS
* WEEKLY ZOOM WEBINARS WITH THE COURSE DIRECTOR
Module 4:
Pattern Injury Characteristics
Pattern Injury Made by Teeth
Bitemark Report Writing
Bitemark Comparison
Bitemark Comparison Report Writing
Week 1
History of Bitemark Evidence
Human Abuse Recognition:
Medical Examiner, Coroner, Pathologist, Dentist, Nurse, Caretaker, Teacher, Family Member
Forms of Abuse:
Child, Intimate and non-intimate Partner, Elder Abuse
Types of Abuse:
Physical, Emotional/Psychological, Sexual, Financial, Medical Assessment, Collection, and Documentation of Evidence for Oral and Peri-Oral Manifestations of Human Abuse
Week 2
Animal and Carnivore Bitemarks
Week 3
Recognition of Suspected Pattern of Human Dental Origin Terminology
Anatomical Location
Cutaneous Injuries:
Central Contusions, Linear Abrasions and Contusions, Lingual Markings, Tongue Thrusting, Acute Inflammatory Reaction, Tooth Identation
Pattern Injury Characteristics:
Abrasion, Bruise, Contusion, Laceration, Petecial Hemorrhage, Avulsion, Incision, Indentation, Drag Marks, Unkown
Tissue Characteristics:
Fixed Substrate, Mobile Substrate, Substrate Elasticity
Substrate Characteristics:
Physical Characteristics, Pattern Colour, Surface, Surface Contour
Week 4
Class Characteristics of the Human Bitemark:
Pattern Landmark, Pattern Shape, Pattern Metrics, Circumferential Distance, Linear Distance, Cuspidal Eminence, Intercuspal Distance, Intercanine Distance, Dental Midline, Arch Midline, Consistent with the Size & Shape of Human Dentition, Primary, Mixed, Permanent Dentition
Individual Characteristics of the Human Bitemark:
Individual Arch & Dental Characteristics, Diastema, Incisal Edge, Incisal Edge Shape, Incisal Edge Metrics, Incisal Edge Angulation
Orientation of the Bite Mark
Less Than Ideal Human Bitemark
Terms Indicating a Bitemark
Week 5
Nature of Bitemarks and Tissue Specimens
Transillumination & Histology
Histology and Timing of Injury
Bitemark Distortion
Static vs Non-Static BM
Pattern, Lesions and Trauma Mimicking Bitemarks
Week 6
Photographic Documentation of Suspected Pattern of Dental Origin
Terms and Definitions:
Aperture, Bracketing, Camera Sensor, Composition, Depth of Field, File Compression, Flash, Focus, Light Source, Compression, Macro Photography, Maginification, Photographic Scale
Equipment and Materials:
Camera, Lens, Flash or Light Source, Photographic Scale, Retractors and Mirrors
Guidelines for Evidentiary Quality Photographs:
Orientation Images, Minimizing Distortion, Non-Metric Close-UP Images, Metric Close-Up Images, Photographing Non-Flat Substrates
Types of Photography:
Colour, B&W, ALI, UV, IR
Metadata, Lens Correction and Other Prerequisites to Pattern Analysis
Best Practices
Practicial Tips in Bitemark Photography
Image Processing, Analysis, Security, Storage, Archiving of Images
Cybersecurity Protocols and Secure Messaging Techniques
Week 7
Other Evidence Collection of Suspected Pattern of Dental Origina
Pattern Injury DNS Recovery
Salivary DNS
Microscopy
Skin Scanners vs Bitemark Impressions
Chain of Custody
Week 8
Documentation of Suspected Pattern of Dental Origin
Case Information, Examination, Pattern Location, Features, Description, Measurements
Pattern Analysis
Digital Analysis
Evidentiary Value:
Photographs Need to be Focused, Illuminated, Properly Exposed, Lens Corrct, with Known Plane of Image, and with Image Angular Correction. The Size and Shape of EAch Dental Arch with Its Midline Must Be Indentified, as are Individual Teeth
Week 9
ABFO Standards and Guidelines for Evaluating Bitemards
Pattern Injury Report Content
Pattern Location, Measurements and Orientation
Type of Dentition:
Animal, Human:
Primary, Mixed, Permanent Dentition
AM vs PM Bitemarks
Evidentiary Value
Terms Indicating a Pattern Injury is or is not a Bitemark
Week 10
Blinding
Dental Line-Up: Person(s) of Interest and Individuals as Foils
Evidence Collection of the Dentitions:
Written Consent, Search Warrant, Subpoena, or Court Order
Medical and Dental History
Facial, Oral, Other Exam
Photography
Intraoral Scanner - Virtual 3D Digital Dental Models (Orthopix, etc) vs Dental Casts
Methods of Comparison, Overlays
Bitemark Comparison Report Writing Content:
Preliminary, Interim or Final Report
Introduction, Inventory of Evidence Received, Inventory of Evidence Collected, Findings Regarding the Pattern, Analysis, Overlays, Test Bites, Other Results, Conlusions, Disclaimer
Linkage Terminology Betweek the Bitemard and the Dentitions
Independent Verification in the Form of a Second Opinion
Week 11
Quantification, Uniqueness, Individualization, Probability, Reliability of Bitemark Evidence
Match and Error Rates in Forensic Science
Randomness in Forensic Science
Rosluving Issues in Bitemark Analysis
Contextual Information, Observer, Cognitive, Confirmation Bias
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Forensic Odontology
Ethics and Ethical Issues in Forensic Odontology
Week 12
Science and the Law
Case Law
Dental Expert Witness
Contracting with an Expert Witness
Expert Witness Guiidelines & Testimony
Courtroom Aids
Expert Disagreement
Legal Liability of an Expert Witness
Rule 702 of the Federal Rulees of Evidence
Week 13
NAS, PCAST, TFSC NIST Reports
Peer Review in Forensic Science
A Historic Perspective of Bitemark analysis and Bitemark Comparison
Forensic Misdiagnosis
Wrongful Convictions and Erroneous Bitemark Opinions
Contextual Contamination of Forensic Evidence by Post-Conviction Litigators
In Defense of Forensic Pattern Identification
* WEEKLY PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS
* WEEKLY ZOOM WEBINARS WITH THE COURSE DIRECTOR