Forensic Dentistry

[smsc2009]

Hi,

I did a search and wanted to make a new thread instead of bumping an old one. I am looking for certain answers and more current information.

Do forensic dentists work in private practice as general dentists too?

How many years does it take after dental school to become certified?

What job opportunities are in this field?

How compectitive is the field? (Is it easy to obtain a residency spot?)

How does lifestyle compare to that of a general dentist? (hours, salaries, stress levels)

Thanks

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[dmonee6]

I'm not exactly sure how long it takes or how competitive is, but i do know that you can definitely be a general dentist at the same time. I have shadowed a dentist who recently retired from his forensic odontology position and he definitely has his own general practice.

 

[ChrisM07]

I would guess it would be one or the other. While you would be technically certified to do both, each one by themselves seems like it would demand lots of time. I don't think you could be a forensics dentist 'on the side'.

 

[dmonee6]

Actually, yes you can be a forensic dentist on the side if you want to be. Like i said, the dentist i shadow has a full time general practice and at the same time was a forensic dentist. He only needed to do the forensics when the medical examiner called him. I'm sure you could be a full time forensic dentist, but you can do both

 

[CMistry]

The dentist I work for wants to go into forensic dentistry on the side as well. He said there are not enough cases to do it full-time, so he would continue his practice. Don't know much more about it, sorry!

-Cyrus

 

[phraud]

I would guess it would be one or the other. While you would be technically certified to do both, each one by themselves seems like it would demand lots of time. I don't think you could be a forensics dentist 'on the side'.

Actually, most forensic dentists are only part-time.

 

[CSI Dentist]

The field is very competitive. After dental school, you can get certified in forensic odonotology. I know that San Antonio and one more school in Canada do it. You will have to work on cases for several years with no pay, and prove that you are capable of doing the job. There are requirements that must be completed, like the number of cases for certain things like identification, bite mark analysis, presentation hours, testifying in court etc... If you are nominated by one of the I think there is about only 50 or so certified forensic odontologists on the board, and if they "approve" you, that is the only way that you can become a paid forensic odonotologist, or be paid for your expert oppinion on cases and court testimonies.

Really... this is the field that is part time. You are working whenever there is a need, and it requires a lot of dedication, hard work, and willingness to work for free for years.

You should check out www.abfo.org.

G.L.

 

[AdidasPete]

Agreed with Crime Scene for obvious reasons... he seems to know his stuff... You should check with your schools though on whether or not they have Forensic Dentistry as a concentration. My school offers it and we are lucky enough to have an amazing forensic odontologist running the program that is actually the head of the Northeast region's board of FO's. Has done work at 911 and Katrina and has worked on a bunch of interesting cases... I've been huge into forensics since high school and def hope to make it part of my career someday. That said, it is a little tricky to pull off getting that specialization as far as dentistry as CS said. This particular teacher went to the San Antonio program and he is a big fan of it. He however is also a GP and sees a normal patient load, and stresses that most FOs do do it as a hobby and it is an expensive one at that, with supplies such as cameras, lenses, and I bet tons of other supplies building up the price tag. He says that in the US he thinks there are only two DOs that practice solely forensic dentistry full time. But it is a great escape from monotony and I agree that it is super interesting and worthwhile if you have the drive, interest, and stomach for it....

 

[smsc2009]

Hi,
Is there any DDS or DMD/JD dual degree programs? I have searched and it is very difficult to obtain info on these programs if they are out there. Would one do a residency in forensic dentistry directly after recieving a DDS or DMD? or would one wait til the JD is completed?
Thanks