Kanika Gupta Verma

Title : Taking a bite out of crime-pediatric forensic odontology

Abstract:

Forensic odontology is the branch involved in a wide variety of applications that cannot be ignored for in the field of dentistry. Pedodontists have a major role in forensic odontology by assessing child abuse and neglect, trauma in children, determining age, evaluating dental records, and investigating mass disasters. Individuals are identified by clinical, visual, and radiographic examination. Investigations are based on thorough evaluation of eruption and shedding of teeth, carious teeth, pit and fissure sealants, restorations, presence of oral and maxillofacial pathologies, calcification and maturation of tooth, dental crowns and bridges, fractures of tooth etc. Age estimation is carried using different methods like Schour and Massler chart, Nolla's stages of calcification, and Demirjian's method using dental maturation chart. Gender is determined from skeletonized remains with dental DNA. Forensic odontology assesses the dental proof for legal purpose. This specialty also plays a significant role in identifying child abuse and neglect. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry has given guidelines for maintaining the patient records providing required information to the pedodontist for accumulating the records properly that will further assist the forensic odontologists.

Audience Take Away:

• The concept of forensics in dentistry helps in identifying incidence of crime among children.
• The use of this concept in practice provides maximum benefit to pediatric population in term of saving children from any kind of mis-happening in future.

Biography:

Dr Kanika Gupta Verma received her Bachelor’s in Dentistry from Govt Dental College & Hospital, Amritsar, Punjab in 2005; and Masters in Paediatric & Preventive Dentistry from Guru Nanak Dev Dental College, Sunam, Punjab in 2009. She is fellow in Scientific writing and Clinical trials. She has been working as an active academician since 13 years, with a keen interest in aesthetic and surgical management of children and adolescents. She is teaching both graduates and post graduates in the field of child oral health care. She is presently working as Professor in Deptt of Paediatric & Preventive Dentistry, Teerthankar Mahaveer Dental College and Research Centre, Moradabad. She is also a life member of Indian Society of Paediatric & Preventive Dentistry; and Indian Dental Association. She has around 65 national and international publications on her name. She is author and contributor to various books. She has delivered various lectures in National and International Conferences. She is reviewer and editorial board member of various national and international journals.