Forensic Dental Medicine

Recommended Prerequisites

Curricular units of the 1st cycle studies and Clinics units I, II and III, in progress. 

Teaching Methods

There is a theoretical component and a theoretical- practical component. Classes, by definition, are multidisciplinary and intended to give students a sense of the multifaceted complexity of the problems and complementarily of knowledge. The lecture develop the strategies used by experts to deal with doubt and difference of opinions.

Learning Outcomes

The goal is to train health professionals able to: a) recognize, record and analyze sequentially expert evidence in a forensic scenario; b) carry out forensic expertise in the context of dentistry, in the various branches of law; c) apply different methodologies in forensic identification, ante-mortem and post mortem. From the point of view of skills and competences: i) have the theoretical knowledge to consider data as forensic evidence; ii) possess the theoretical knowledge to develop skills of forensic dentistry under supervision; iii) help in the context of dentistry, if requested.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

Themes:

  1. The medico-legal organization.

  2. Bitemark. Technique, analysis and description.

  3. The medico-legal autopsy. Signs of death. Oral autopsy technique.

  4. Identification. Mass disasters.

  5. The estimated age. Methods and age groups. The interpretation of the results.

  6. Assessment of body damage in civil, criminal and work.

  7. Informed consent in clinical practice.

  8. Genetic and forensic biology. Genotyping. Polymorphisms.

  9. The role of the dentist in the particular situations of aggression to minors, abuse and violations,

10. The photography, forensic versus clinic. Visible radiation, ultraviolet and infrared. The expert's value. 

Head Lecturer(s)

Ana Teresa Carvalho Martins Corte-Real Gonçalves

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Laboratory work or Field work: 25.0%
Individual work: 75.0%

Bibliography

David Senn,  Richard Weems In Manual of Forensic Odontology. 5th Edition ASFO, 2013;

Corte-Real A, Vieira DN. Identificação em Medicina Dentária Forense. Coimbra: Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra, 2015.