"Forensic Odontology - Where the Jaw Meets the Law: Dentistry's Role in the Legal System"

  Date: Thursday, September 10, 2020

     7:00 pm to 9:00 pm  

2 MCE Credit Hours

About the Speaker:

Randolph Mitchell is a general dentist who maintained a private dental practice in Lyons, New York from 1983-2019. He was educated at S.U.N.Y. Potsdam, where he graduated with a BA in both Chemistry and Biology. He received his dental education at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, obtaining his DMD in 1981. He has taken the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology Course in Dental Identification and Emerging Techniques in 2003, 2007, and 2011. He has also taken the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology Course in Forensic Anthropology in 2004. He has served as the Forensic Odontologist for the Monroe County Office of the Medical Examiner from 2009-the present.  Dr. Mitchell is a member of the American Dental Association, Ethics Committee of the Seventh District Dental Society of the State of New York, a Member in the American Society of Forensic Odontology, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.  Dr. Mitchell has been a member of the Faculty of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine as a lecturer in the Department of Community Oral Health since 2014. He provides a day long lecture every year to the students and interested dentists on Forensic Dentistry.

Course Objective

The objective of this course is for the participant to understand the role dentistry plays in the legal system. Our legal system requires scientific positive identification in many instances. We will touch briefly on the current scientific methods of positive identification in use today, discussing the conditions of remains that each method works best for. We will then focus on the area of dental identification, discussing the Axioms, Principles, and Techniques used to make a positive identification of remains. A step-by-step use of these techniques will be demonstrated as we proceed through a routine dental identification. To further illustrate the process, several actual case studies will be used to show the techniques in use on several different types of remains. Bite Mark/Pattern Injuries will be introduced and discussed, including the controversy that currently swirls around the validity of this area of dental forensics. The role of the dental professional in helping the Forensic Odontologist in making a positive identification will be discussed so that the participants will be prepared to respond when their assistance is required in the identification of one of their patients. We will conclude the class with questions and answers and information on how to become a Forensic Odontologist and the continuing education required in this fascinating area of dentistry.

New York AGD is designated as an Approved PACE Program Provider by the Academy of General Dentistry. The formal continuing education programs of this program provider are accepted by AGD for Fellowship, Mastership and membership maintenance credit. Approval does not imply acceptance by a state or provincial board of dentistry or AGD endorsement.  The current term of approval extends from 01/01/2019 to 12/31/2020. Provider ID # 219318