Entry requirements

At least 2 years post-qualification dental experience is desirable before applying. This is not a requirement but those with experience will be considered ahead of those who are newly-qualified.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Forensic odontology 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 including sessions on death and cognitive bias with a psychologist
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 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.

You'll develop your forensic dentistry skills through practical experience, assisting with identifications of human remains. This will make you aware of the complexity involved in the examination of a person's body after death.