Forensic Dentistry Job Description

Video Transcript

"Hi, I'm Dr. Larry Klein, I'm a dentist here in Saint Petersburg, Florida. Today we're going to talk a little bit about forensic dentistry. One of the key things you probably see all the time on TV shows and even the news and stuff, is how do people get identified in cases of disasters and fires and places where they really can't be identified any other way. A lot of those ways are actually by their teeth. So dental x rays are a key thing where they actually chart and note specifically whose teeth and each fillings are where, and what spaces are between the teeth. The identification specific patterns of teeth, whether they have baby teeth, permanent teeth, the wisdom teeth, no wisdom teeth. Identification in like things like bite victims. Where they actually measure the distance between the teeth. You've got all these disasters, maybe a plane wreck where people have burnt beyond recognition, sometimes the only thing that remains is the skeletal remains of someone's jaw, and those teeth can identify the victims and help give closure to the families. Usually forensic dentists are general dentists that also have a passion for the forensic departments, or work closely with the corner's department, etcetera. So, if you want more information on forensic dentistry, give me a call. Peter Klein here in Saint Petersburg, where a smile is contagious."