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ePaper created 2015-03-07, 18:13:20 | version 1.33.01
special _ forensic odontology I facial trauma analysis for adults are applicable here, but with emphasis on the developing anatomy and different biomechanical characteristics of the child facial skeleton. Dentalmalpracticeandinsurancefraudinvestiga- tions are increasing, partly owing to greater public awarenessofwhatconstitutesadentist’sdutyofcare andresponsibilitytopatients,andpartlyowingtoour increasingly litigious society. For this aspect of prac- tice, the odontologist requires thorough knowledge of the various pieces of legislation relating to dental practice, the professional codes of conduct, and the latestinformationontreatmentmodalities,aswellas good medico-legal report writing skills. _Conclusion Forensic odontology is capable of providing rapid and relatively cost-effective identification of the de- ceased, as long as reasonable ante-mortem dental records are available. In countries such as Australia, the laws concerning medical record-keeping ensure that dental records are, in the main, of good quality and easily retrieved in the event they are required. In other countries, this may not be the case, and identification of the deceased in some parts of the worldrepresentsaseriousandongoingissueforgov- ernments and humanitarian organisations. Good record-keepingisnotonlyofbenefittoforensicprac- titioners, but also relevant to improved health serv- ices and outcomes for patients in general, so part of the work of odontologists includes educating health authorities in less developed parts of the world to encouragegoodrecord-keeping.Thebenefitofgood record-keeping can be seen in recent mass fatality incidents, such as the Victorian Black Saturday bush- fires, where, despite the availability of a well-re- sourced DNA capability, more than half of all victims were identified by dental record comparison. The scope of forensic odontology is broader than identification alone and encompasses a range of activities, anything in fact where the practice and theory of dentistry intersect the law. To be a compe- tent practitioner in this discipline requires not only a comprehensiveunderstandingofodontologytheory and technique, but also a degree of knowledge and experience in a variety of forensic fields, including law, pathology, clinical forensic medicine, molecular biologyandanthropology.Theforensicodontologist encounters all of these disciplines in different case scenarios,andinordertounderstandhowtheodon- tologist can contribute best to an investigation he or sheneedstocomprehendthecapabilitiesandlimita- tions of these fields._ Editorial note: A list of references is available from the publisher. I 37cone beam1_2015 Dr Richard Bassed is a senior forensic odonto- logist and Head of Human Identification Services at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine in Melbourne in Australia. cone beam_about the author Fig. 5b Fig. 5c