title: Dentists' qualifications affect the accuracy of radiographic identification.
abstract: This study assessed the effects of forensic odontologists' training and experience upon the accuracy of their dental radiographic identifications. Forty participating odontologists with various levels of training and experience completed a Web-based survey of their qualifications and then completed nine Web-based radiographic identification cases. They made their identifications using the American Board of Forensic Odontology Categories and Terminology for Body Identification. The results indicate that odontologists with high levels of training and experience performed significantly more accurately than those with lower levels. We conclude that high levels of training and experience in forensic odontology should be developed, maintained, and required of dentists who participate in a forensic team dealing with challenging identification cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Soomer
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lincoln
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ranta
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Penttilä
authors.forename: Edvitar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leibur
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005553:Forensic Dentistry / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D011361:Professional Competence; D011861:Radiography, Dental / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires