How do officals get dental records for ID of bodies?

[aceplace57]

It is a valid question that I’ve wondered about for a long time.

My childhood dentist retired. My new dentist didn’t request my old records. They spent quite a bit of time mapping out all my fillings. XRays and so on. I could easily be identified if the cops inquired.

But as others said. Somebody has to tell the cops who my dentist is. Theres still no central database?

[Loach]

@Rachelann

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/07/carmelita-johnson-missing_n_872000.html – IRL, it does happen. Albeit rare, creating such a database (nationally) would on average take an extra three minutes for a dental assistant to enter in and may bring much needed closure and validity to suffering family members. After two or three days, cases involving missing persons are not pursued thoroughly; even if the case remains open, say an unidentified body is found three months after the initial report - who’s connecting the dots? It should be a database. I have the utmost respect for law enforcement; I do feel though that such a system can help tremendously. Simply put: criminals’ fingerprints are standardly processed, dental records need be, too. They’re just as telling as a print.

I personally believe that we lack a connection between “the missing’s” and “the john doe’s”. With technology, we should be able to come up with a link. Thoughts?

I’d love to hear feedback.

There is no need to have a massive database with dental records just on the off chance you are one of the few people that go missing. There is a central national website for missing persons. Across the country NamUs is used to share information about missing persons. Dental records can be uploaded for missing persons and when unidentified bodies are found those files will be checked.

[DrDeth]

There has been talk about a database, and it’s been started, to some extent:

http://www.fbi.gov/foia/privacy-impact-assessments/ndir

[Loach]

@DrDeth

There has been talk about a database, and it’s been started, to some extent:

http://www.fbi.gov/foia/privacy-impact-assessments/ndir

That’s not a database of random dental records. Like the information collected through NamUs that is a database of records of missing persons. The person is missing first then their records are uploaded to the database for possible matching with found remains. Rachelann was talking about everyone’s records being put into a database regardless of status.

[rsat3acr]

@Ferret_Herder

Well, it’s a massive HIPAA violation, for starters.

(Just curious - what were you searching on to bring up a discussion that’s 4 years old?)

no if the govt requires records for a database it is not a HIPAA violation

[Ferret_Herder]

The records of everyone who’s ever been to a dentist, for reasons unrelated to healthcare or billing? I’m pretty darned sure that’s not allowed currently.

[ThelmaLou]

I had a thread on this topic in 2010.