PANAJI
The Goa Dental College (GDC) has launched its Forensic Dentistry Clinic, a dedicated department within the Oral Medicine and Radiology Department (OMRD) of the college.
This the first such facility in the State and only the second in the country.
Speaking as part of the week-long dental awareness programme, Professor and head of the OMRD, Dr Ajit D Dinkar said the setting up of the clinic is the result of work over the last many years done by the department.
“The department, thanks to the reference of cases from the Forensic department at Goa Medical College (GMC), has been able to solve criminal cases based on bite marks and reconstruction of faces,” Dr Dinkar said.
Since the beginning of the department in the 1980s, Dr Dinkar has testified in 28 bite mark cases and has aided the police in face reconstructions. OMRD has also been instrumental in age estimations of 1,244 sports persons thus enabling them to participate at various State and national sporting events.
After the SDM Institute of Dental Science and Research, Dharwad, Karnataka, the clinic at GDC will be the second such centre in the country.
The department was officially inaugurated by Dr Edmund Rodrigues, professor and head of forensic medicine and toxicology, GMC, Public Prosecutor Poonam Bharne, SP North Umesh Gaonkar and Secretary Health Sudhir Mahajan.
An exhibition of forensic dental work records, dental cases handled so far, research in the field and awards and prizes won was also on display.
