Milken Institute School of Public Health Poster Presentations (Marvin Center & Video)
A study on Forensic Odontology as future perspective among private dental practitioners of Ahmedabad, Gujarat-India
Document Type
Poster
Abstract Category
Global Health
Keywords
Forensic Odontology, Cross sectional survey, Dental records, Chi square test, knowledge, Attitude, Practices, Sampling, Workshops, Evidence.
Publication Date
Spring 5-1-2019
Abstract
A study on Forensic Odontology as future perspective among private dental practitioners of Ahmedabad, Gujarat-India : A cross-sectional study: Forensic Odontology is based on the fact that, the natural teeth can withstand degradation from extreme conditions even after the death of an individual. Hence, teeth are considered to be very crucial for identification during the investigative procedures, especially when there is lack of any other evidence. Law enforcement in India has traditionally sought the assistance of government-employed personnel and, therefore, forensic dental referrals are commonly made to forensic medical departments at government hospitals or dentists in government service. However, these professionals are often not necessarily required to have undergone formal training in forensic dentistry, who may not have a thorough understanding of the nuances of forensic dental casework, evidence collection methods, evaluation techniques and report writing. This lack of expertise has resulted in forensic dental evidence not being used in a manner to serve the interest of the judiciary and history shows us that many important cases have taken more time than it should have in ideal conditions. There is a dearth of Forensic Odontologists in India. The aim of the study is to analyze the level of awareness, feasibility and future perspective of FO among private dental practitioners of Ahmedabad City. It is a cross-sectional study, in which 210 private dental practitioners participated voluntarily from each of the six zones of Ahmedabad. The sample size was assessed using simple random sampling and then it was divided in six zones by stratified random sampling. A self administered questionnaire with a multiple-choice question was designed. Chi-square test was done using SPSS 20. In this study, we found that >50% of dentists are aware regarding the basic principles of FO and >70% of dentists maintain patient's details as dental records followed by radiographs. A significant finding was that around 58.7% and 72.7% of dentists were aware regarding testifying as an expert witness in court to present dental evidence and the awareness of any formal training courses of FO in the country respectively. The dentists were aware regarding basic principles of FO but revealed poor attitude and practice regarding implementing it in everyday life. This study will enhance the need of organizing training programs, also we might be able to motivate the dentists to actively participate in medico legal cases which can be solved by knowing the basic principles of FO.
Open Access
1
A study on Forensic Odontology as future perspective among private dental practitioners of Ahmedabad, Gujarat-India
A study on Forensic Odontology as future perspective among private dental practitioners of Ahmedabad, Gujarat-India : A cross-sectional study: Forensic Odontology is based on the fact that, the natural teeth can withstand degradation from extreme conditions even after the death of an individual. Hence, teeth are considered to be very crucial for identification during the investigative procedures, especially when there is lack of any other evidence. Law enforcement in India has traditionally sought the assistance of government-employed personnel and, therefore, forensic dental referrals are commonly made to forensic medical departments at government hospitals or dentists in government service. However, these professionals are often not necessarily required to have undergone formal training in forensic dentistry, who may not have a thorough understanding of the nuances of forensic dental casework, evidence collection methods, evaluation techniques and report writing. This lack of expertise has resulted in forensic dental evidence not being used in a manner to serve the interest of the judiciary and history shows us that many important cases have taken more time than it should have in ideal conditions. There is a dearth of Forensic Odontologists in India. The aim of the study is to analyze the level of awareness, feasibility and future perspective of FO among private dental practitioners of Ahmedabad City. It is a cross-sectional study, in which 210 private dental practitioners participated voluntarily from each of the six zones of Ahmedabad. The sample size was assessed using simple random sampling and then it was divided in six zones by stratified random sampling. A self administered questionnaire with a multiple-choice question was designed. Chi-square test was done using SPSS 20. In this study, we found that >50% of dentists are aware regarding the basic principles of FO and >70% of dentists maintain patient's details as dental records followed by radiographs. A significant finding was that around 58.7% and 72.7% of dentists were aware regarding testifying as an expert witness in court to present dental evidence and the awareness of any formal training courses of FO in the country respectively. The dentists were aware regarding basic principles of FO but revealed poor attitude and practice regarding implementing it in everyday life. This study will enhance the need of organizing training programs, also we might be able to motivate the dentists to actively participate in medico legal cases which can be solved by knowing the basic principles of FO.
Comments
Presented at Research Days 2019.