forensic odontology

[agrodent]

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Can anybody please guide me about how to get into field of forensic odontology?

 

[Rafael Costa Guerra]

The first thing to do is to call your local Medica Examiner's office and ask who is the Forensic Dentist they use as a consultant. Call the dentist, explain your interest and ask him to call you everytime the ME's office calls him requesting his assistance.

The second thing to do is to get a good, formal education in Forensics. The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology has an exellent course (one full week, a little bit over a thousand bucks). Another recognized course is the one from University of Texas in San Antonio.

It is also a good idea to purchase your own copy of the American Academy of Forensic Odontology manual. It's very basic but it's the best you can get in English.

Unfortunately Forensic Odontology is not recognized as a especialty in the U.S., still learned in schools as part of Oral Pathology, so the level of information available to graduate students (without taking any courses) is pretty low.

Once you have formal education and contact(s) to expose yourself, it's just a matter of time to feel confortable about the different topics involved.

If you have any further questions feel free to contact me @ [email protected]

I'm also sure you can contact Dr. Richard R Scherf, the mediator of this message board. I had the chance and honor to work with him while helping the identifications of the WTC victims in NYC. His e-mail is [email protected]

here are some links for you:

IN JUNE:
10-14
15th Southwest Symposium on Forensic Dentistry
Sponsored by the Center for Education and Research in Forensics at UTHSCSA and the Office of the Bexar County Medical Examiner. To be held at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) -Dental School in San Antonio, TX.
CONTACT:
UTHSCSA
Continuing Dental Education
(210) 567-3177
Website: <a href="http://smile.uthscsa.edu/CDE/SUMMER/SummerRegForm.html" target="_blank">http://smile.uthscsa.edu/CDE/SUMMER/SummerRegForm.html</a>

here is the American Board of Forensic odontology site (where you can get info on how to get your book/manual:

<a href="http://www.abfo.org/" target="_blank">http://www.abfo.org/</a>

The Armed Forces Institute of pathology is with their website down, so you have to contact them by phone:

The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
Center for Advanced Medical Education
6825 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20306
(800) 577-3749

Good Luck,

Rafael C. Guerra

 

[Richard R Scherf]

Thank you, Rafael for the reference to me, and it was indeed a pleasure to work with you in New York.

Agrodent, the book the Rafael was referring to is from the American Society of Forensic Odontology. <a href="http://www.asfo.org." target="_blank">www.asfo.org.</a> You can join this organization and I highly recommend that you do. They meet yearly in February during the AAFS meeting. Next year is in Chicago. Look at <a href="http://www.aafs.org." target="_blank">www.aafs.org.</a>

As Rafael said, (1) Take the AFIP course. <a href="http://www.afip.org." target="_blank">www.afip.org.</a> (2) Join the ASFO. (3) Call your local Medical Examiner's office or your local coroner to learn who is doing forensic odontology near you. The ABFO is beginning a mentoring program to teach new FO's the ropes from the senior people.

Have fun. This area of study is fascinating and you will meet some of the finest people in the world in forensics.

My e-mail address is [email protected].

Richard R. Scherf, DMD, FAGD

 

[agrodent]

Sir, i am thankful to both of u for being such a good guide. But Sir, the problem for me is, i am doing my Post Graduation in India, and i think i would not be feasible for me to go out of India and do the courses and so on. SIr,if u know anybody in India, who could help, i would be highly obliged.!!

 

[Rafael Costa Guerra]

You can take the course from the Armed Forces without being an American Citizen. You just need to request permition to the Department of Defense in advance;

You can contact your local Medico-legal institute (or Medical Examiner's office or whatever it is called where you are) and get help from your local Dental consultant;

You can buy the book online from anywhere on Earth.

Buy the book, contact your local consultant, attend the course, no matter where you are. Sorry I don't have any contacts to help you locally.

Good luck,

Rafael C. Guerra

 

[agrodent]

Thank You very much sir!!