Forensic Odontologist

Forensic Odontologists, also known as Forensic Dentists, strive to resolve missing person cases and identify the bodies of victims from a crime scene or an accident. The Forensic Odontologist offers comfort to families by identifying the deceased, allowing them to hold a proper burial. Working as a Forensic Odontologist does not put you at the scene of a crime. Instead, you work in a laboratory to identify the body through dental records and DNA.

The daily life of a Forensic Odontologist certainly offers a change of pace from the traditional desk job. Many of your daily tasks occur in the lab, where you perform autopsies alongside a Coroner or Medical Examiner. You take photographs and X-rays of the deceased’s teeth, and collect samples for DNA testing.

To identify the deceased person, you may compare your findings to previous dental records or the records of missing persons. Not everyone is the victim of a crime. Some are victims of an accident or a natural disaster, and their families naturally want to know what happened to them. Other times, you identify bite marks on a living victim to help catch an attacker or identify cases of child abuse.

After you’ve determined the person’s identity, you record any evidence of a crime and write up your report. You may need to testify in court on your findings. Families can finally have closure and seek justice against the criminal who took away their loved one.