Disaster Victim Identification Course

September 15 - 19, 2025

Department of Forensic Medicine
Aarhus University, Denmark

Participants

The course is open for dentists with special interest in Forensic Odontology, with or without previous knowledge and/or experience in the field.

Aims of the course

The course will enable dentists to:

  • participate in/perform a post-mortem dental examination.
  • structure ante-mortem dental records in relation to an identification.
  • participate in the comparison of ante-and post-mortem dental data and in the establishment of a dental identity.

The course will also:

  • provide insight into the role of the forensic odontologist in a disaster victim identification (DVI) team.  
  • introduce the KMD PlassData DVI6 Software used for information registration, search and comparisons of data following disasters with a large number of victims. 

Special topics:  

Post-Mortem (PM) examination and Ante-Mortem (AM) registration:

  • PM clinical examination
  • PM radiology
  • PM clinical photography
  • PM special investigations
  • AM & PM registration in the KMD PlassData DVI6 Software system

Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) and Mass Fatality Incidents:

  • DVI principles; reconciliation and conclusion
  • DVI, major accidents

Specialized Forensic Disciplines:

  • Aspects of age estimation
  • Anthropological aspects of identification
  • Introduction to the two other primary identifiers (fingerprints and DNA)
  • Occupational aspects of forensic odontology
  • Short introduction to entomology in forensic sciences

Course structure:

The course combines theoretical lectures with hands-on exercises, including practical tasks such as PM examinations and registrations, AM registrations, and a mock accident scenario.

The course also covers data entry and search strategies within the KMD PlassDataDVI6 Software system, as well as the reconciliation process.

The course is held in English.

Internationally recognized teachers

Lectures, exercises and hands-on sessions will be offered by internationally recognized teachers with in-depth experience in forensic odontology and disaster victim identification.

Course organisers

Line Staun Larsen, DDS, PhD, Forensic Odontologist, Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine & Department of Dentistry and Oral Health, Aarhus University, Denmark. Email: line.staun@dent.au.dk

Rebecca Gahn, DDS, Forensic Odontologist, Department of Forensic Medicine, Swedish National Board of Forensic Medicine. Chief Dental Officer, DVI-team Sweden.

Simen E. Kopperud, DDS, Forensic Odontologist, Associate Professor, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, Norway. Dental Officer, DVI-team Norway.

Further information and pre-registration:

Line Staun Larsen

Assistant Professor, Cariology and Forensic Dentistry

Course fee: 2150 €

The fee covers the 5-day course including lunch and coffee breaks Monday to Friday and two dinners plus a social excursion.

Hotel accommodation is not included.

Location

Department of Forensic Medicine
Aarhus University
Palle Juul-JensensBoulevard 43
DK-8200 Aarhus N

(Entrance D2 at the Aarhus University Hospital)

Phone: +45 87167500
Fax: +45 86125995
e-mail: forens@au.dk