Legal and Forensic Dentistry

The Level II Master’s Program in “Legal and Forensic Dentistry” is divided into seven modules that will cover the following topics:

• Module 1
  Legal and Ethical Foundations
• Module 2
  Professional Liability
• Module 3
  Damage Assessment
• Module 4
  Personal Identification
• Module 5
  Medical-Legal Issues in Dentistry I
• Module 6
  Medical-Legal Issues in Dentistry II
• Module 7
  Medical-Legal Issues in Dentistry III

The Master’s program is designed to provide theoretical and practical training for dentists or medical doctors who wish to deepen their knowledge of forensic dentistry. The current need to train dentists with specialized skills in forensic dentistry stems from the significant increase in recent years in medical-legal disputes involving dental practice in both civil and criminal contexts. The course is designed to offer participants high-level specialized training in forensic issues specific to dentistry, particularly those related to identification of living individuals and cadavers, as well as the assessment of personal injury within the scope of dentistry, providing the necessary tools to draft court-appointed expert reports and/or private expert opinions. Another objective is to provide adequate knowledge regarding aspects of professional liability in the field of dentistry. Finally, recent attention has focused on personal identification in the field of dentistry and oral medicine, issues of abuse and injuries of dental/maxillofacial origin in minors, and age assessment of living individuals, including for the purpose of determining criminal responsibility.
In recent years, litigation related to medical practice—and, in particular, dental practice—has been steadily increasing, along with the growing demand for expert opinions in traffic accident cases. This has created a need for the aforementioned professionals to acquire information and expertise not only to perform expert witness duties as consultants for parties, the court, and insurance companies, but also in their capacity as professionals—whether in private practice or employed by public institutions— with the primary goal of safeguarding and practicing their profession in compliance with current criminal and civil laws. Medical and legal knowledge of “injury” and the assessment of causation are central to the structure of this master’s program. The objective of the Master’s program will therefore be to address these issues from a strongly interdisciplinary perspective that encompasses medical-legal, insurance, dental, dental technology, maxillofacial, psychological, and social aspects, as required by the current dental profession.

The master’s program lasts one year, for a total of 1,500 hours, corresponding to 60 academic credits (CFU), and will be structured as follows:

• Lectures: 216 hours + 684 hours of independent study (36 CFU);
• Laboratories: 12 hours + 38 hours of independent study (2 CFU);
• Practical exercises: 12 hours + 38 hours of independent study (2 CFU);
• Internship: 50 hours (2 CFU);

Attendance at the Master’s program is mandatory. To earn the degree, each participant must attend at least 70% of the class hours listed above.
Participants will take midterm exams at the end of each module.
At the end of the training program, there will be a final exam consisting of a thesis defense on one of the topics covered in the course and the internship completed.

The degree to be awarded by the University of Foggia is a Second-Level Master’s Degree in “Legal and Forensic Dentistry.”
This degree has academic standing and requires the completion of 60 CFU as part of the student’s academic program.

The Master’s program is open to anyone who holds a master’s degree—whether earned under the regulations in effect prior to Ministerial Decree 509/99 or under the current regulations—in Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics, Medicine and Surgery, or equivalent degrees.
Another requirement for admission is registration in the Dental Practitioners’ Registry.

Department of Higher Education and Advanced Studies
Master's Programs, Advanced Courses, and State Exams
Phone: 0881-338323 - 0881 338312
[email protected]

Academic and Administrative Office
Dental Center
Phone: 0881 338880; 0881 338882
[email protected]