Antemortem dental records versus individual identification

Area of Science:

• Forensic Odontology
• Dental Record Management
• Public Health

Background:

• Forensic odontology utilizes dental records for victim identification, especially in mass disasters.
• Accurate ante-mortem and post-mortem dental records are vital for reliable identification.
• Emphasis on consistent dental record-keeping practices in India is necessary.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practices of dental practitioners in South India concerning patient dental record maintenance.
• To assess awareness of the importance of dental records in forensic odontology.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive questionnaire study was conducted among 543 dental practitioners (alumni from 2000-2015) in South India.
• A validated 24-question survey assessed knowledge, attitude, and practice of clinical case record maintenance.
• Data were analyzed using SPSS with descriptive statistics and tabulation.

Main Results:

• 58.39% of dentists reported maintaining records promptly.
• 84.6% of dentists possessed knowledge of forensic odontology.
• Only 8.4% of dentists had assisted government agencies during mass disasters.

Conclusions:

• A significant gap exists between dentists' knowledge of forensic odontology and their practical involvement in disaster victim identification.
• There is a need to improve dentists' attitudes and foster interest in meticulous dental record maintenance.
• Enhanced dental record-keeping practices are crucial for effective deceased individual identification.