Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s DistrictTarrant County Medical Examiner’s DistrictDr Nizam Peerwani, Chief Medical ExaminerDr Nizam Peerwani, Chief Medical Examiner

Roger D Metcalf DDSRoger D Metcalf DDSHuman ID Lab Human ID Lab 200 Feliks Gwozdz Place200 Feliks Gwozdz PlaceFort Worth, Texas 76104-4919Fort Worth, Texas 76104-4919817-920-5700 ext 160817-920-5700 ext 160rmetcalf@tarrantcounty.comrmetcalf@tarrantcounty.com, , rmetcalf@leo.govrmetcalf@leo.gov

Databases Used by Databases Used by Forensic Forensic

Odontologists at Odontologists at T.C.M.E.T.C.M.E.

N.C.I.C.N.C.I.C. dental profiledental profile

J.P.A.C. J.P.A.C. OdontosearchOdontosearch (Joint (Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command—POW/MIA Accounting Command—formerly C.I.L.HI.)formerly C.I.L.HI.)

Lexis/NexisLexis/Nexis law enforcement law enforcement packagepackage

N.C.I.C.N.C.I.C. has capability to store a missing has capability to store a missing person’s or an unidentified body’s dental person’s or an unidentified body’s dental profile.profile.

Unfortunately, up until a couple of years Unfortunately, up until a couple of years ago, there was a “bug” in the software, ago, there was a “bug” in the software, and dental profiles were not being and dental profiles were not being searched automatically.searched automatically.

There is no “national dental database” that There is no “national dental database” that forensic odontologists can search—the forensic odontologists can search—the F.B.I. is currently studying implementation F.B.I. is currently studying implementation of a dental image repository that would be of a dental image repository that would be an extension of N.C.I.C.an extension of N.C.I.C.

The hope is someday we will have a The hope is someday we will have a searchable dental database similar to searchable dental database similar to A.F.I.S.A.F.I.S.

The U.S. Army maintains a database—The U.S. Army maintains a database—OdontosearchOdontosearch—that helps odontologists —that helps odontologists determine the uniqueness of a particular determine the uniqueness of a particular arrangement of fillings a person may have.arrangement of fillings a person may have.

Central IdentificationCentral IdentificationLaboratory at JPACLaboratory at JPAC (formerly C.I.L.HI.)(formerly C.I.L.HI.)

http://www.jpac.pacom.mil/CIL/http://www.jpac.pacom.mil/CIL/OdontoUse.htmOdontoUse.htm

The odontologist enters the dental The odontologist enters the dental profile of the subject into the profile of the subject into the Odontosearch program, and the Odontosearch program, and the program searches various databases program searches various databases to determine how often that to determine how often that particular profile occurs in a particular profile occurs in a particular populationparticular population

Useful for dental id cases, but not Useful for dental id cases, but not helpful for bitemark cases—helpful for bitemark cases—unfortunately, dental id cases are not unfortunately, dental id cases are not often litigated, while bitemark cases often litigated, while bitemark cases are often highly contentiousare often highly contentious

Lexis/Nexis is a Lexis/Nexis is a hugehuge database company database company that maintains all sorts of databases that maintains all sorts of databases used primarily by the legal professionused primarily by the legal profession

They maintain public record information They maintain public record information on individuals from “civilian databases”on individuals from “civilian databases”

The Lexis/Nexis law enforcement The Lexis/Nexis law enforcement package gives us access to SSNs, package gives us access to SSNs, DLs, various other licenses, VINs, DLs, various other licenses, VINs, limited criminal history information, limited criminal history information, and, most importantly, and, most importantly, potential potential relativesrelatives and associates—and the and associates—and the capability to do capability to do reverse lookupreverse lookup with with only limited information about the only limited information about the subjectsubject

Disclosure—we have no financial or Disclosure—we have no financial or other connection to Lexis except as a other connection to Lexis except as a customercustomer

There are several other similar, There are several other similar, competing products—ChoicePoint, competing products—ChoicePoint, Acxiom, Acxiom, et alet al, and I believe Westlaw , and I believe Westlaw also has some of these features, as also has some of these features, as wellwell

Please drive carefully!Please drive carefully!