Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Biting controversy: forensic dentistry battles to prove it's not 'junk science'


In 1994, when Monica Reyes was strangled, beaten, and left dead in an Elizabeth, NJ drainage ditch, the only evidence investigators found to identify her killer was a bite mark on her back. There were no witnesses. There was no CCTV footage. After examining the bite mark, a forensic odontologist identified Gerard Richardson as the killer.


Forensic odontologists are dentists who go through rigorous training after medical school to match bite marks to specific people. The process — established in the US by the American Board of Forensic Odontology (ABFO) — involves observing autopsies, coordinating with medical examiners, and participating in field exercises like "facial dissection[s] performed in conjunction with a multiple fatality...


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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/25/4770070/biting-controversy-forensic-dentistry-battles-to-prove-its-not-junk

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