Odontologists

Odontologists are professionals who study teeth and the diseases, development, and care of the dental hard tissues. In common usage, the term may refer to dentists—licensed clinicians who diagnose and treat oral health conditions and perform procedures such as fillings, root canals, extractions, and restorations—and, in forensic science, to specialists who apply dental knowledge to legal investigations. Odontology encompasses the anatomy and physiology of teeth, dental materials, radiology, and the prevention and management of dental diseases, and includes subspecialties such as orthodontics, endodontics, periodontics, and prosthodontics.

Training typically begins with accredited dental education, culminating in a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry/Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD). Licensure is required to practice clinically in most jurisdictions. Many odontologists pursue postgraduate specialty training or research doctoral degrees, gaining expertise in a particular field or in forensic odontology.

Clinical odontologists care for patients, diagnose and manage caries, periodontal disease, malocclusion, and oral trauma, and restore function and aesthetics. Forensic odontologists, by contrast, apply dental records, radiographs, and tooth morphology to identify individuals or to interpret dental evidence in legal proceedings. In academic and industrial settings, odontologists study tooth development, dental materials, biomaterials, and the aging of teeth in populations.

Contemporary forensic odontology emphasizes standards and validation; bite-mark analysis, once common in some cases, has faced scrutiny over reliability and evidentiary weight, leading to more cautious use and formal guidelines in many jurisdictions. Professional organizations include the International Association of Forensic Odontology (IAFO) and national dental associations, which promote evidence-based practice and continuing education.