Current knowledge, attitudes and practices in forensic dentistry among dentists in France: An observational study

Forensic odontology is a key discipline in post-mortem human identification. In France, the absence of a centralized dental registry complicates the use of dental records for this purpose. Since 2016, nationwide "identification alerts" have circulated by email to dentists, asking them to check for possible matches in their patient files.

This study focuses on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of French dentists regarding panoramic radiography, dental record-keeping, and their interaction with forensic identification alerts.

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between December 2023 and December 2024. A total of 419 dentists completed the nationwide questionnaire using the KAP (Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices) framework.

Of the respondents, 94% had graduated from French dental school and 74% practised exclusively in the private sector. More than half of respondents reported prescribing panoramic radiographs in the event of pathology, while one-third used them routinely every one to two years. Forty percent of respondents indicated that they had received no initial training in forensic dentistry or record-keeping. Dentists who graduated after 2014 were more likely to have received such supplraining (p < 0.001), yet they were paradoxically less likely to respond to identification alerts (p < 0.001).

The findings highlight a gap between technical capacity, training, and practical forensic engagement. In order to enhance the role of dentists in forensic identification, systemic measures are required, including standardised record keeping, the integration of forensic functionalities into dental software, national policy support, and targeted awareness campaigns.