forensic- odontology
by Leif Kullman
The history and organisation of forensic odontology in Sweden.
History
Already around the beginning of this century a couple of papers on forensic odontology had been published in Sweden, but the subject was not really known until two pioneers, Dr. Frykholm in Stockholm and Dr. Gustafson in Malmö started up their work in education, research and practical cases.
Both of them had been influenced by a Norwegian, who already had started- Dr Ferdinand Ström in Oslo.
Dr. Frykholm was a teacher at the School of Dentistry in Stockholm and he established in 1950 a contact with the police and introduced the teaching in this subject in his school.
Dr. Gustafson was from the beginning a private practitioner but he later became Professor of Oral Pathology in Malmö. He started research in forensic dental matters and also a course for dental students in the subject , which was voluntary. in the same way as in Stockholm. However the practical cases were still rather few, a handful each year.
Forensic odontology has since then in Sweden, like in many other places around our world developed fast and is now an established discipline within odontology.
Organisation today
Today all four dental schools in Sweden have a compulsary course with about ten lectures. A new organisation was created in 1975 with a full time position in the subject. The authorites decided upon to place this position in Stockholm and that the service should be managed in cooperation with the School of Dentistry. School of Dentistry contributed with a secretary and a half-time assistant dentist. The proprietor of he duty was supposed to change his working time between the school and the department of Forensic Medicine, where the autopsies are performed at the request of the police. He should also be responsible for the subject in Sweden. In the other three dental schools, teachers usually working with other subjects are working part-time practically with forensic odontology and they have also the lectures for the dental students.
Thus, in normal circumstances, all teaching,research and practical cases work are performed by these four persons today.
The authority that is responsible for forensic odontology as well as other forensic matters was from the beginning the National Board of Social Health and Welfare but in 1991 a new authority was established : The National Board of Forensic Medicine.
Their main function is to provide judicial bodies, the police and, on occasion, social welfare authorities with expert opinions on all forensic matters.
The Swedish Society of Forensic Odontology was started in 1979 in connection to the annual meeting of all Swedish dentist (Riksstämman). Gunnar Johanson, who was working full-time in the post in Stockholm and who also was one of the promoters of the society was elected as the first chairman of the newborn society. Soon the society had more than one hundred members. Gunnar Johanson started a lot postgraduate courses for dentists, who were interested into the subject. The courses encompassed different subjects as i.e. photographic and computer documentation, dental radiography, legal matters, age estimation, besides the usual theoretical and practical lectures and exercises. In this way the society could build up a cadre of interested dental surgeons who were capable to assist if a major disaster with many victims should happen.
More information about the society may be found in Internet. The adress is http://rtgsun.rtg.ofa.ki.se/forodont/forening/srf1.htm.
In 1966 the National Board of Health and the National Police Board established the Swedish Identification Commission. This commision handles identification of the victims in all major accidents abroad where Swedish citizens are involved. The members of the commission are police experts, forensics pathologists and forensic odontologist. Even in major disasters within Sweden the commision may assist the local police authorities in identification matters. Thanks to the keen work with postgraduate education for dentists, a lot of dentists in Sweden today are available if a mass disaster should take place.
More about this commison and its work can be read in my november message.
Summarising, there are only a couple of dentists in Sweden managing the usual practical cases which are about 200 each year. Owing to a energetic postgraduate education of the Swedish Society of Forensic Odontology there are however, about 20 dentists who have certified to be able to assist in case of a major accident will happen, which needs a lot ot forensic odontologists.
Finally , through the society there has also been established a cooperation between above all the Scandinavian countries in forensics matters, but also an international cooperation. Regularly common courses are announced within our subject.
Since forensic odontology is very involved with and cooperate with forensic pathologists, I will next month tell you about their profession and subject.
Leif Kullman
