# Searching dental records **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 26, 2020, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-dental-records/854503 "2020-05-26T18:08:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-dental-records/854503/1 "2020-05-26T18:08:37Z")
When an unidentified human body is discovered, and authorities do a dental records search, how is that done? Is there a nationwide database of dental records? Are dentists required to send your records to this database? Are there automatic search programs to compare records with discovered remains? ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-dental-records/854503/2 "2020-05-26T18:12:00Z")
I think they check recent missing person cases (that match sex/size/age). Brian ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-dental-records/854503/3 "2020-05-26T18:16:44Z")
Yes, my impression is that they have some likely possibilities as to who the victim is and contact their relatives to find out where they went to the dentist or in smaller areas simply contact all the local dentists and ask “was John Doe a patient of yours?”. If he was they get the records and compare. I don’t think any national databases exist as they do for fingerprints and DNA. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-dental-records/854503/4 "2020-05-26T18:58:03Z")
Dental records are used to confirm the identity of a corpse. If there’s no idea of the identity of the body there’s no point trying to match dental records because there is no national database. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-dental-records/854503/5 "2020-05-26T19:00:44Z")
Comparing dental records is done to confirm or rule out an identity. It is not done to find an identity, as fingerprints are. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-dental-records/854503/6 "2020-05-26T19:20:39Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Dental records are used to confirm the identity of a corpse. If there’s no idea of the identity of the body there’s no point trying to match dental records because there is no national database. There is, though, of a sort. The National Crime Information Center’s Unidentified Person file. The Unidentified Person file contains records of unidentified people and unidentified body parts that have been recovered by law enforcement and/or corner’s offices. When the body or part is recovered, the details are entered in to the system. Dental information is included using specific codes determined by specially trained dentists. An example is on the data collection form [here,](http://www.abfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/NCIC-Missing-Persons-Data-Collection-Entry-Guide.pdf) beginning on page 27. This is the guide for Missing Persons, but the one for Unidentified is very similar. When either a Missing or Unidentified person is placed in NCIC, they are crosschecked by information such as physical characteristics including dental codes, date missing/recovered etc. So if I go missing tomorrow, the police enter me as a missing person, and my body is recovered a month from now partially buried in a sandbar on the Missouri River, if I am entered as an Unidentified Person then the crosscheck should catch that and send an automated notice to both entering agencies. It’s actually a really neat file, and underutilized. I used to push it hard when it was my job to do training on it. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-dental-records/854503/7 "2020-05-26T19:20:51Z")
I asked this question in [2010](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=587379). This was the [STRAIGHT DOPE SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD answer.](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1450/how-can-they-identify-people-from-their-dental-records/) > [@](#): > > SDStaff Mac replies: > > I think you misunderstand the role of dental records in identifying a body … they’re usually brought in at the end of the process, not the beginning. First, the remains are examined to get a rough idea of age, sex, race, etc. This information is then checked against missing persons files; open kidnapping, murder or accident cases; or, in the case of accidents such as plane crashes, passenger manifests. Once investigators have a general idea who the body might be, dental records are used to sort among a smaller number of possibilities. Even then the process isn’t easy because there’s no central registry of dental records. The dentists for all the names on the list must be identified and asked to furnish records from their office files. Tedious though this can be, it’s often the best and sometimes the only way. Tooth arrangement and fillings and other dental work are unique to the individual, or nearly so, and the teeth are highly resistant to fire and decay, so dental records permit positive identification when all else fails. > > SDStaff Mac, Straight Dope Science Advisory Board ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-dental-records/854503/8 "2020-05-26T19:39:32Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > There is, though, of a sort. > > The National Crime Information Center’s Unidentified Person file. > > The Unidentified Person file contains records of unidentified people and unidentified body parts that have been recovered by law enforcement and/or corner’s offices. > > When the body or part is recovered, the details are entered in to the system. Dental information is included using specific codes determined by specially trained dentists. An example is on the data collection form [here,](http://www.abfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/NCIC-Missing-Persons-Data-Collection-Entry-Guide.pdf) beginning on page 27. This is the guide for Missing Persons, but the one for Unidentified is very similar. > > When either a Missing or Unidentified person is placed in NCIC, they are crosschecked by information such as physical characteristics including dental codes, date missing/recovered etc. So if I go missing tomorrow, the police enter me as a missing person, and my body is recovered a month from now partially buried in a sandbar on the Missouri River, if I am entered as an Unidentified Person then the crosscheck should catch that and send an automated notice to both entering agencies. > > It’s actually a really neat file, and underutilized. I used to push it hard when it was my job to do training on it. Apologies for the somewhat unorganized post, btw. Had to throw it in in between phone calls. I’d be happy to elaborate if there are any questions. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2020, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-dental-records/854503/9 "2020-05-26T21:59:01Z")
In the Bali nightclub bombing in 2002 a large number of Indonesians and Australians were killed. A number of Australian families quickly flew to Bali and visually identified their relatives among the casualties. Of the 18 visual identifications nine were incorrect. The assumption they made was ‘my son is a tall fit young man’, but unfortunately that would have described half the nightclub patrons, and were made on badly burnt bodies under incredibly stressful conditions. The high level of misidentification led to changes in the protocols for casualty identification, and showed how important both DNA and dental records were. A very readable summary of the Bali bombings forensic response [here](https://www.mja.com.au/system/files/issues/179_07_061003/lai10499_fm.pdf).