Forensic Odontology

Personnel

• Prof H Bernitz: Senior Stomatologist and Course coordinator for Forensic Odontology for undergraduate and postgraduate Dentistry. Consultant in Forensic Odontology.
• Dr A Uys:  Stomatologist and senior lecturer.
• Dr S Nel: Stomatologist and course coordinator for postgraduate Oral Biology.

Courses

• Forensic Odontology (MFP 570): lectures forming part of the Maxillofacial and Oral Pathology for final year dental students (BChD V)
• Forensic Odontology (MFP 270): lectures forming part of Maxillofacial and Oral pathology for second year oral hygiene students (BOH II)
• PGDipDent in Forensic Odontology (FOT 700):  a two year postgraduate diploma in Forensic Odontology
• MSc(Odont) in Forensic Odontology
• PhD in Forensic Odontology

Course Content

The minimum time in which the PGDipDent in Forensic Odontology course can be completed is two years. The student will be required to complete and pass Oral Biology (MDB 710) before commencement of the Forensic course. Since the majority of students are in private practice, they will be allowed to determine their own rate of progress. 

The course consists of five modules: Introduction to Forensic Odontology, Basis of Human Identification, Age, Race and Gender Determination, Bite marks, and Child abuse. 

Each candidate will be required to hand in two assignments.

All interesting forensic cases handled by the Department during the academic year will be discussed with students. Each student will be required to spend at least one week (date to be arranged) undergoing practical training in the Department of Oral Pathology and Oral Biology.

On fulfilling the course requirements the candidate will be expected to write a three-hour examination, followed by an oral examination.

The course will provide the student with the following learning outcomes:

• thorough knowledge and understanding of the anatomy, embryology, physiology and osteology of the head and neck to aid in the determination of age, race and gender;
• basic knowledge and understanding of human genetics, somatic and mitochondrial DNA and their applications in forensic dentistry;
• the ability to compare ante-mortem and post-mortem records in routine identifications and mass disaster situations;
• the ability to examine, photograph, capture and document bite marks in animate and inanimate objects;
• understanding of clinical signs of child abuse, and the forensic management of the child abuse cases;
• overview of forensic entomology;
• the ability to apply the aforementioned knowledge in a given clinical situation and submit a court report;
• basic skills in the retrieval of information and scientific writing;
• historical background of forensic odontology.  
   

Services rendered 
 

Forensic Odontology services are rendered to the University of Pretoria, South African Police Services and Gauteng Department of Health. Forensic cases are received from the Department of Forensic Medicine, Department of Forensic Anthropology, Silverton Forensic Laboratory and the Forensic Mortuary in Pretoria. The services rendered include:

• corpse identification
• age, race and gender determination of skeletal remains;
• age determination of crime suspects;
• bite mark analysis;
• mass disaster management;
• odonto-stomatological investigations of child abuse cases;
• forensic jurisprudence.