Forensic Dentistry & Odontology Careers – Education & Salary Guide

How to Become a Forensic Odontologist

Step One: Graduate from high school (four years)

Those seeking to become forensic odontologists will do well to show skill in physical and health sciences as well as anatomy as early as their high school education. Given how closely forensic odontologists may work with law enforcement and investigative bodies, a demonstrated early interest in law and criminology may also prove helpful later on.

Step Two: Complete an undergraduate degree (four years)

Upon graduating from high school, a person seeking to become a forensic dentist must complete an undergraduate (bachelor’s degree) academic degree to be eligible to start dental school.

Highly skilled individuals may ultimately complete their undergraduate degree in less than four years, thereby somewhat shortening the total time commitment. Those interested in forensics, but as yet uncommitted to forensic odontology, may elect to complete an undergraduate degree in forensic science. Popular bachelor’s degrees for forensics professionals include degrees in chemistry, biology, and other natural sciences.

Admissions requirements for many undergraduate programs include official high school transcripts, a satisfactory test score (SAT or ACT, in addition to the TOEFL test for non-native speakers of English), a personal or motivational statement, and an application fee. Students already sure of their interest in forensics should seek out programs accredited by the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC), the country’s predominant program approval body for forensics programs.

Step Three: Become a dentist (four years)

Becoming a dentist is a significant educational investment. A vast majority of dental schools require a bachelor’s degree to apply. With but one exception, all currently-accredited dental schools in the United States are four-year programs. Dental schools do not require applicants to have a specific bachelor’s degree major. In addition to a bachelor’s degree, applicants must also complete dental school requirements, including an adequate Dental Admissions Test (DAT) score, letters of recommendation, and a dental school personal statement. Upon completion of dental school, a graduate receives either a DDS or DMD. There is essentially no difference between these two designations.

Step Four: Complete odontology training (timeline varies)

After receiving formal recognition as a dentist, individuals must complete training specific to forensic odontology. Many forensic odontologists receive most of their training through courses, lectures, and other resources provided by forensic institutions and dental organizations. Forensic odontologists may also complete relevant training through basic courses in forensic science and medicolegal death investigation.

Step Five: Obtain professional certification (timeline varies)

See the certification step below for details on this step.

What Does a Forensic Odontologist Do?

The primary objective that informs the variety of tasks and duties a forensic odontologist customarily completes is the careful application of scientific and medical techniques, without bias, to locate and analyze dental and related oral materials. Common tasks include:

• Make varied determinations, including the age of skeletons, bone fragments and/or dental materials, the identity of victims of crime, disasters, and other incidents, and whether issues such as domestic violence were a feature in the lives of deceased victims
• Analyze bite marks and compare to a specific individual or suspect
• Provide expert testimony, explain their findings, and defend their conclusions in a variety of circumstances such as forensic identification, bitemark, age estimation, abuse and standard of care cases
• Prepare and present information and illustrations such that non-expert audiences can comprehend them
• Provide highly organized, accurate summaries of findings in written and other formats
• Utilize a variety of technologies to review, summarize, and disseminate findings
• Attend autopsies to conduct post-mortem dental examinations, including such things as radiographs, photographs, and other measurements.

Completing such tasks requires a variety of skills. The skills necessary to complete the aforementioned tasks include:

• Dexterity – Utilize excellent fine motor skills to transport, examine and secure materials safely
• Communication – Effectively communicate with personnel to ensure proper procedures are followed in high-stress scenarios.
• Active listening – Offer undivided attention to one or more individuals to fully comprehend problems and subsequently take appropriate action
• Critical thinking – Apply logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems
• Judgment and decision making – Act autonomously and make difficult decisions that may benefit various parties
• Complex problem solving – Identify complex problems, develop and evaluate corrective options, and implement solutions
• Stress management – Endure intense situations and handle the pressure of extreme situations
• Trustworthiness – Develop and maintain trusting relationships with a variety of parties
• Perceptiveness – Gauge how people react and respond, using both verbal and non-verbal cues, to decipher their feelings, anticipate their responses, and subsequently execute a suitable course of action

Professional Certification

With experience and training a dentist can be actively involved in forensic cases. As previously noted, the final stage in becoming a certified forensic odontologist is obtaining certification from the relevant professional certifying organization. In the case of forensic odontology, that organization is the American Board of Forensic Odontology (ABFO) within the American Academy of Forensic Science.

To become ABFO certified, a forensic odontologist must:

• Possess a DDS, DMD, or an equivalent dental degree from an accredited institution
• Have attended at least four annual meetings of a national forensic/forensic dental organization
• Have participated in at least two annual programs of a national forensic/forensic dental organization
• Be currently active and affiliated with a medical/legal agency such as a medical examiner/coroner’s office, mass disaster team, insurance agency, or law enforcement agency for at least two years
• Have observed at least five medicolegal autopsies attested to by the pathologist in charge
• Have performed at least 35 legitimate forensic dental cases. Of these cases, they must have performed at least 20 human identification cases in which 15 or more resulted in an identification. The applicant must have personally resected, or surgically exposed, the jaws in at least five cases, and personally taken the post-mortem radiographs in at least ten cases. The ABFO Dental Identification Workshop may count for up to five identifications. In addition, the candidate shall have been the primary investigator in five dental age assessment (DAA) cases.
• Given the complexity and evolving nature of certification eligibility requirements, candidates for certification are recommended to directly consult ABFO personnel to ensure they have a correct understanding of current requirements

Once candidates fulfill the knowledge, experience, and other requirements, they can take the certification test. This test will examine candidate competencies in the following topics:

• Foundational forensic odontology skills
• Gathering, documenting, and maintaining evidence
• Knowledge of identification
• Participation in mass disaster management
• Knowledge of bite marks
• Knowledge of human abuse
• Knowledge of craniofacial anatomy, anthropology, and pathology
• Knowledge of professional, ethical, and legal responsibilities