Forensic Dentistry

Entry requirements

Prospective applicants must hold a recognised dental degree (BDS or equivalent). At least 2 years post-qualification dental experience is desirable - this is not a strict requirement but those with experience will be considered ahead of newly-qualified.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Forensic dentistry deals with the examination, handling, and presentation of dental evidence for the legal system.

You will develop your knowledge, experience and skills in forensic dentistry, and in aspects of forensic medicine, law and research.

You will study:

• dental identification and profiling
• disaster victim identification
• age estimation from dental sources
• dental report writing and giving evidence
• limitations of bite mark identification

Practical sessions include:

• dental autopsy instructions using the Thiel cadavers (facility offered by the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHID))
• image acquisition with portable X-ray unit
• interpretation of ante-mortem and post-mortem dental data
• a mock trial and first-hand experience and training with PlassData software for disaster victim identification

Studying alongside students in forensic medicine and law means you will gain an understanding of the role of other forensic disciplines and identify when, where, and how forensic dentistry links with the wider forensic community.