Alder and Senn also investigate sexual assault and child abuse cases in which the victim is bitten. Using life-size photographs of the bite marks and a transparent overlay showing the arrangement of a suspect s teeth, Drs. Alder and Senn check for a match. If the case goes to trial, they testify as expert witnesses. It is quite often rewarding in that you can help get someone off the street, said Dr. Alder.
Education also gets high priority at the center.
For example, a wound should not be washed until the forensic dentists can get a swab of the area for possible DNA evidence from the attacker s saliva. We ve gotten more calls from emergency rooms since the nursing education started than we ever did before, said Dr. Senn. At the request of the Bexar County medical examiner, Drs. Alder and Senn also have trained a 45-member dental forensic victim identification team. Made up of volunteers from the Dental School and private practice, the dentists on the team will be called in the event of a mass disaster to identify victims.