Masters Degrees (Forensic Odontology)

Forensic dentists are required in all countries to provide dental expertise to courts and legal systems. Dentists wishing to work in this field often find it difficult to gain the necessary skills.

This course addresses those aspects of forensic odontology which are most frequently the subject of expert testimony in courts and have the most relevance to forensic odontology internationally.

Why study Forensic Odontology at Dundee?

Internationally, there are few opportunities for dentists to gain expertise in forensic odontology in a structured manner from a University with a dental school and an active forensic medicine department.

As a student in Forensic Odontology you will work closely with other postgraduate students in Forensic Medicine, Forensic Science and Forensic Toxicology. You will develop a deep understanding of the role of other forensic disciplines and identify when, where and how forensic odontology links with the wider forensic community. This provides a unique multi-disciplinary nature to the course.

What's so good about Forensic Odontology at Dundee?

Acquiring this qualification will be a key step in the development of professional expertise in forensic odontology. The programme will enable graduates to acquire knowledge, understanding and skills in forensic odontology and research. Uniquely, they will learn interdisciplinary skills that are essential for dealing with forensic issues in real life.

Aims of the course?

The aim of the course is to provide dentists with a professional qualification that delivers core knowledge, experience and intellectual skills in forensic odontology, forensic medicine, science and research.

Teaching & Assessment

The course will be taught by experienced practitioners based at Centre for Forensic & Legal Medicine at the University of Dundee with guest tutors further enhancing the student experience. Research projects will be supervised by experienced researchers.

How you will be taught

A blended approach to teaching is adopted to enable you to learn in a variety of ways. Methods of teaching include small group seminars, virtual learning environment (Blackboard) based case scenarios, lectures, guided self-directed learning, demonstrations and observation in a working forensic mortuary.

What you will study

The course consists of four taught modules:

Forensic Odontology (taught module) - topics include:
Dental Identification
Disaster Victim Identification
Age estimation from dental sources
Dental report writing and giving evidence
Detailed anatomy and development of teeth and oral structures
Bite mark identification
Critical appraisal of literature
Practical experience in mortuary
Bite mark analysis
Research dissertation

You will study 5 modules:

Forensic Odontology
Forensic Odontology Research Project
Bite Mark Analysis
Forensic Medicine
Forensic Science

How you will be assessed

There are a wide range of assessment methods within each module including: written assignments, oral presentations and computer aided assessment exercises.

Careers

Acquiring this qualification will be a key step in the development of professional expertise in forensic odontology.

The programme will enable graduates to acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills in those aspects of forensic odontology which are most frequently the subject of expert testimony in courts and have the most relevance to forensic odontology internationally.

The interdisciplinary aspect, and the focus on the important aspects of forensic odontology will ensure that students are in a position to contribute to forensic service provision in their region/country.

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The aims of the programme are to provide you with thorough knowledge and practical skills in the field of forensic odontology. While no single case is alike and many cases are difficult to prepare for, the programme provides a sound and scientific foundation on which you can rely in your future career. The KU Leuven Master’s Programme of Forensic Odontology is one of the few programmes of its kind in the world. 

What is the Master of Forensic Odontoly all about?

The full-time Master of Forensic Odontology programme offers holders of a degree in dentistry the opportunity to specialise in the multifaceted field of forensic odontology. The MSc in

Forensic Odontology stresses multidisciplinary interaction with forensic medicine, judicial bodies, and insurance companies, and aims to train dentists and oral physicians in this fascinating discipline and its legal aspects. With its theoretical courses, self-study, preclinics, clinical demonstrations,

laboratory work, and a research-based thesis, the one-year MSc in Forensic Odontology

is the ideal stepping stone to this exciting new profession. 

Objectives

The academic programme, spread over one year of full-time study or two years of part-time study (60 ECTS in total) involves theory-based courses, self-study, pre-clinics and demonstrations in the field of forensic dentistry (part-time study: only for students who have a dental practice in Belgium).

In particular, the programme will provide insight into specialty techniques and their scientific background in forensic odontology.

The advanced Master's programme in Forensic Odontology is distinguished from the initial Master's programme by its evidence-based and research-oriented teaching, its multidisciplinary and integrated case analysis and its comprehensive approach to identification.

The programme also stress the multidisciplinary interaction between forensic medicine, judicial bodies, insurance companies, etc. Graduates will have the ability to critically engage the scientific literature, understand experimental methodologies, carry out statistical analysis and interpret results. Students will also participate in clinical and laboratory-based research as part of the advanced Master's curriculum.

This programme can be combined with the PhD, which entails at least four years of training.

Career perpectives

The demand for forensic dental experts in the legal world is rising. Graduates will be prepared to assist in the identification of victims or suspected criminals based on forensic evidence. Forensic dentistry plays an important yet underdeveloped role in the Belgian legal world. For dental professionals seeking careers in forensic odontology, this programme is extremely useful.

Careers as forensic odontologist

The forensic odontology work entails three major aspects: human identification, dental age estimation and bite mark analysis. Forensic odontologists are also actively involved in dental fraud and litigation cases.

Careers as scientific researcher

The master’s programme can serve as a valuable preparation year when you are aspiring to go on to doctoral studies in forensic odontology. Time spent in the master’s programme can count toward your PhD training programme, as long as the topic of your doctoral dissertation builds on the successful research conducted as part of your master’s thesis. 

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Forensic dentists are required in all countries to provide dental expertise to courts and legal systems. Dentists wishing to work in this field often find it difficult to gain the necessary skills. This 1 year course addresses those aspects of forensic odontology which are most frequently the subject of expert testimony in courts and have the most relevance to forensic odontology internationally.

Why study this course at Dundee?

Internationally, there are few opportunities for dentists to gain expertise in forensic odontology in a structured manner from a University with a dental school and an active forensic medicine department.

As a student in Forensic Odontology you will work closely with other postgraduate students in Forensic Medicine, Forensic Science and Forensic Toxicology. You will develop a deep understanding of the role of other forensic disciplines and identify when, where and how forensic odontology links with the wider forensic community. This provides a unique multi-disciplinary nature to the course.

What is so good about this course?

Acquiring this qualification will be a key step in the development of professional expertise in forensic odontology. The programme will enable graduates to acquire knowledge, understanding and skills in forensic odontology and research. Uniquely, they will learn interdisciplinary skills that are essential for dealing with forensic issues in real life.

Who should study this course?

This course is designed for dentists wishing to work in Forensic Odontology.

Aims of the course?

The aim of the course is to provide dentists with a professional qualification that delivers core knowledge, experience and intellectual skills in forensic odontology, forensic medicine, science and research.

Teaching & Assessment

How you will be taught

A blended approach to teaching is adopted to enable you to learn in a variety of ways. Methods of teaching include seminars, case scenarios, lectures, guided self-directed learning, demonstrations and observation in a working forensic mortuary.

How you will be assessed

There are a wide range of assessment methods within each module including: written assignments, oral presentations and computer aided assessment exercises.

What you will study

Topics covered include:

Dental Identification
Disaster Victim Identification
Age estimation from dental sources
Dental report writing and giving evidence
Detailed anatomy and development of teeth and oral structures
Bite mark identification
Critical appraisal of literature
Practical experience in mortuary
Research dissertation

You will study 4 modules:

Forensic Odontology
Forensic Odontology Research Project
Forensic Medicine
Forensic Science

Employability

Acquiring this qualification will be a key step in the development of professional expertise in forensic odontology.

You will gain:

Skills, knowledge and experience in aspects of forensic odontology which are most frequently the subject of expert testimony in course.
A deep understanding of the role of other forensic disciplines, resulting in in-depth knowledge of where and how forensic odontology links with the wider forensic community.
The necessary skills to plan, execute and write-up a research project.

The interdisciplinary aspect of this course, and the focus on the important aspects of forensic odontology will ensure that you are in a position to contribute to forensic service provision in your region/country.

Please note that acceptance to the course does not entitle you to work as a dentist in the UK, either during the course or after graduation.

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