Forensic Dentistry, Second Edition

408 Forensic dentistry

and achievement, as well as the results of a formal examination.”^2 The purposes

of the ABFO listed in the manual include in part:

a. To encourage the study of, improve the practice of, establish and enhance
standards for, and advance the specialty of forensic odontology.
b. To encourage and promote adherence to high standards of ethics,
conduct, and professional practice by forensic odontologists.
c. To grant and issue certification certificates, and/or other recogni-
tion, in cognizance of special qualifications in forensic odontology,
to voluntary applicants who conform to the standards established
by the Board and who have established their fitness and competence
therefore [sic].^2

These are appropriately lofty goals and purposes that have served the dis-

cipline well in its first thirty-two years. The requirements for applying to the

board seem daunting to dentists seeking to become board-certified forensic

odontologists, but may, in fact, be not as demanding as is needed. The current

requirements include the following summarized from the ABFO manual:

Applicants must:

•   Possess a dental degree, DDS, DMD, or equivalent

•   Be persons of good moral character, high integrity, good repute

•   Possess high ethical and professional standards

•    Have attended four annual meetings of national forensic organizations

•   Have participated by presenting, moderating, or chairing commit-

tees at those national forensic meetings

•   Have been formally affiliated with a medical/legal agency for at least

two years and be currently active

•   Have observed five medicolegal autopsies

In addition to those general requirements the forensic dentist applicant
must have experience in actual forensic odontological casework. Recently
revised casework requirements are summarized below (bold italics added):

•   A minimum of 25 forensic dental cases

•   A minimum of 20 person identification cases

•    15 of which resulted in positive dental identification

•    10 in which the candidate personally performed the post mortem

radiography

•    5 in which the candidate personally resected or surgically exposed

the jaws

•   A minimum of 2 bitemark cases in which the marks were bitemarks

of human origin and were compared to a suspect’s dentition