ABSTRACT
This chapter gives a brief history of dentistry and the evolution of the specialty of forensic dentistry, also known as forensic odontology. It discusses the roles of members of the dental team and address the need for further training, both by dentists and dental hygienists. Natural disasters and acts of violence have occurred as long as people have had teeth, and those knowledgeable of teeth are often needed to identify the victims of these different types of events. Evidence of dental work has been found in some of the earliest archeological discoveries. Often in mass disasters, identification of individuals by dental records may be one of the most reliable ways of ascertaining identity since the most indestructible part of the body is the teeth; they survive unchanged for thousands of years. Rarely does a dentist work alone in the identification of victims; there is usually a team of people supporting the effort.
