Intersection of Forensic Odontology and Psychology

Forensic odontologists are expected to deal with challenging demands which can affect their mental health while dealing with forensic activities. This study aimed to explore the psychological impacts of forensic activities on forensic odontologists and students undertaking training. Firstly, it of an integrative review (part I) on the psychological effects of forensic odontology practice. The review was performed on Scopus, Medline and Web of Science. Next, an anonymous online survey using JISC Online Surveys tool (part II) was performed to assess the inherent opinions of forensic odontologists from the the International Organization for Forensic Odonto-Stomatology (IOFOS), and Association of Forensic Odontologists for Human Rights (AFOHR), and Dentify.me. Results were quantitatively evaluated by means of descriptive statistics and qualitatively upon reflection using Microsoft Office Excel (2010). Part I, only one full-text article out of 2235 (Webb et al., 2002) was found eligible indicating a low number of eligible studies. Part II, 75 forensic odontologists and 26 students (49.9% male; 50.5% female) from over 35 countries participated. Results showed that forensic dentists are more psychologically or emotionally affected by child abuse cases and least affected by age estimation cases. Most experienced forensic odontologists reported the lowest scores of discomforts. Males were more comfortable than women in dealing with stress. 80.77% (n= 21) of the students have not experienced any behavioural changes following mortuary sessions but 19.2% (n= 5) witnessed stress. All respondents support the inclusion of a module in Psychology or stress management in training programmes in Forensic Odontology. Suggestions to maintain mental health are considered by the respondents and topics to be taught suggested by a psychologist

Archetypal image of the teeth – Stimulating certain understandings for the appreciation of the biting wit

There are meanings which were [are] attributed to the archetypal image of the tooth, honouring how dynamic operations of the biological (chemical and physiological characteristics), emotional, and behavioural aspects of its existence and organic manifestation impacted the understandings that some ethnic communities, ingrained in their own ecological, geographic, religious, historic, and cultural factors, built and developed through their approximations to teeth. That can be possibly seen as scaffolding the innumerable, stable and/or modified symbolic representations that constitute the emerging narratives modern humans manifest and exchange when having the tooth as the object of their current experience and enquiry. It discusses individual, collective, and transpersonal states of feeling and reasoning that analyse the possession and the observation of teeth and the phenomena related to their utility, appearance, state of wear, and identitarian judgements that can be drawn from their materiality. Hence, this literature review discusses how the practise and/or attribution of rituals for modification and/or mutilation of teeth, socioeconomic expectations, cultural meanings, self-identity information, dietary styles, and crimes that surround the human dentition have occurred and insist to occur throughout the conscious and/or unconscious transmission of ideas and ideals that are attached to the image of the tooth, revealing a certain common yet transformed knowledge between traditional and modern societies