THEY are arguably the defining item of modern-day life, and now selfies could prove to have a genuine benefit in searches for people that have gone missing.
For combining selfies taken by missing persons before they disappear with forensic dentistry could prove key for future identification, according to an expert studying at the University of Dundee.
In a world first for the university, a Dental Identification Record Checklist has been developed by Dr Claire Sallis and her supervisor Dr Scheila Mânica at Dundee’s School of Dentistry.
Selfies showing teeth and gum shields are just some of the new dental identifiers to appear on the checklist, which has been designed to aid the police and forensic odontologists in searches for missing persons.
The university stated: “It aims to speed up the process of forensic identification by allowing police to request more dental by-products than ever before, such as bleaching trays or teeth moulds, and helps remind law enforcement officers to check for supplementary evidence such as selfies that may portray the missing person’s teeth.”
Working in collaboration with the British Association for Forensic Odontology (BAFO) and the UK Missing Persons Unit, Sallis hopes the free checklist, which has already been translated into 14 languages, will reduce the time it takes for police to gather important evidence, mitigating the emotional weight on families awaiting closure.
Sallis, who is studying for an MSc in forensic dentistry at the university, said: “You may not think about it but your teeth are incredibly individual to you.
“When a dentist places a filling, they will never make the same filling ever again in their lifetime. That’s how unique they are and that’s why they are great for identifying missing people.
She added: “It’s the role of forensic odontologists to identify the deceased by their teeth but this process can be frustrated by both general dentists and police not knowing exactly the types of evidence that could help speed up the process.
“Creating the list was about the families and relatives of missing people and helping reduce the time they might be anxiously waiting.”
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