Al-Azri A R, Harford J, James H
Forensic Odontology Unit, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Al-Nahdha Hospital, Ministry of Health, Muscat, Oman.
Aust Dent J. 2016 Mar;61(1):102-108. doi: 10.1111/adj.12316. Epub 2016 Feb 10.
Forensic odontologists provide an important service to the community by identifying unknown deceased people, allowing both legal outcomes and family closure. Non-visual identification may be achieved by comparison of post-mortem data with ante-mortem dental records provided by oral health practitioners. Success is dependent largely on the accuracy and adequacy of data in the dental records.
An online self-administered questionnaire evaluated Australian dentists' knowledge and behaviours relevant to forensic odontology. Reported record keeping practices were assessed for detail, legibility, accessibility and retention. Behaviours were classified according to the frequency of response.
Dentists reported overall reasonable awareness of the major applications of forensic odontology. Personal information and details of restorative treatment were recorded at high levels, while tooth anomalies, photography, additional patient details and denture marking were recorded inadequately. Legible tooth coding was reported at a high level, while other key legibility practices were recorded inadequately. Few of the behaviours related to retention or to maximize accessibility were recorded at a high level.
Australian dentists have high expectations of the forensic value of their dental records; however, many processes that would enhance the diagnostic, medico-legal and forensic value of dental records are not routinely applied.
法医牙科学者通过识别身份不明的死者为社会提供重要服务，这有助于达成法律结果并让家属得到慰藉。非视觉识别可通过将死后数据与口腔健康从业者提供的生前牙科记录进行比对来实现。成功很大程度上取决于牙科记录中数据的准确性和完整性。
通过一份在线自填式问卷评估澳大利亚牙医与法医牙科学相关的知识和行为。对报告的记录保存做法在细节、易读性、可获取性和保存期限方面进行评估。行为根据回答频率进行分类。
牙医报告称对法医牙科学的主要应用总体有合理认识。个人信息和修复治疗细节的记录水平较高，而牙齿异常、摄影、其他患者细节和假牙标记的记录不充分。清晰的牙齿编码报告水平较高，而其他关键的易读性做法记录不充分。与保存或最大化可获取性相关的行为很少有高水平记录。
澳大利亚牙医对其牙科记录的法医价值期望很高；然而，许多能提高牙科记录诊断、医疗法律和法医价值的流程并未常规应用。
