The establishment of a positive identification of unknown human remains or an unidentified living individual by comparative dental analysis requires both the submission of supporting documentation from the dental provider (s) who treated the patient as well as careful documentation of the unidentified remains or an unidentified living individual. Human Identification by dental analysis is the comparison of oral maxillofacial structures. The procedures to reconcile this information (e.g., radiographs, charts, and progress notes) have been outlined by numerous forensic organizations including the American Board of Forensic Odontology (ABFO), American Society of Forensic Odontology (ASFO), British Association of Forensic Odontology (BAFO), Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT), Interpol?s DVI Steering Committee Forensic Odontology Subcommittee as well as many others.

The goal of ADA TR 1088-2017 is to provide the best available current information to forensic odontologists, forensic pathologists, medical examiners and coroners, law enforcement personnel, dental schools, emergency planners and others on the best practices recommended by the forensic odontology community. It includes guidelines on how to obtain comparative forensic dental data as well as the recommended methodologies to reconcile that data in order to establish an identification by comparative dental analysis.