The July 2023 collection of the Journal of the California Dental Association focuses on forensic odontology: the application of dental knowledge to the field of law enforcement and death investigations.
Anthony R. Cardoza, DDS, D-ABFO, guest editor of the collection, writes: “As a forensic dentist, I am pleased to help bring to light a debate that has been taking place within the field of forensic odontology for many years.”
Among the seven articles in the collection are a review of the history of forensic odontology and bite mark analysis in the U.S., a review of the current science on bite mark analysis and an opinion on the future use of bite mark analysis in the nation’s justice system.
“My hope is that these articles will give readers a better understanding of bite mark analysis and the challenges it has faced and will continue to face in the future,” Dr. Cardoza adds.
Dentists also can earn C.E. credit by reading one of the articles and completing an online quiz.
How bite mark comparisons have contributed to wrongful convictions
In the commentary “The Good and Bad Legacies of Forensic Odontology,” forensic odontologist C. Michael Bowers, DDS, JD, provides a narrative of his experience with bite mark analysis from the 1980s to present day “following decades of listening to and communicating with other dentists.”
Dr. Bowers describes how bite mark comparisons have contributed to wrongful convictions and indictments that have since been debunked by numerous scientific reviewing agencies and legal authorities.
An opinion on the future use of bite mark analysis in the justice system
Forensic odontologist John D. McDowell, DDS, MS, examines the status and future of bite mark analysis, specifically the absence of a “critically important” gold standard in that analysis.
He discusses uncertainty in biological systems, the role of best evidence and scientific method in bite mark analysis and various attempts to establish a gold standard in bite mark analysis, expressing his own opinion that the absence of a gold standard “negates their use in the legal system.”
C.E. credit, scientific dentistry news, regulatory compliance guidance
Other odontology-focused articles in the July collection include “The Death Row Case of Ray Krone, the Beginning of the End of Bite Mark Evidence in the United States,” “One: The Innocence Project” and “Bite mark analysis: The Legal vs Scientific Battle for Justice,” which provides dentists an opportunity to earn .5 units of C.E. if they read the article and successfully complete the online quiz.
Additional articles examine the risks and benefits of patient refunds and outline recognized security practices for HIPAA-covered entities.
With the recent transition of the CDA Journal to a digital online platform for scholarly journals, dentists and others can easily read and share articles and sign up to receive alerts when new articles are available. Read the July Journal collection.