Knowledge and awareness of forensic odontology among medical and dental practitioners working in teaching hospital in Kohat, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Forensic odontology is a sub-specialty of forensic science, which uses dental evidence to identify individuals and support the judicial system. With growing interest and advancements in this field, it is crucial to enhance knowledge and awareness among practitioners. The aim of the study was to evaluate knowledge, awareness, and practice related to forensic odontology among medical and dental practitioners. A quantitative cross-sectional based study was conducted among 230 practitioners from both medical and dental fields. A questionnaire was distributed amongst the participants consisting of a total seventeen close-ended questions which were divided into three sections including introduction, knowledge, and prospects. Out of total n=103 and n=127 medical and dental practitioners respectively, 88.6% didn't study forensic odontology as part of curriculum, 66% were familiar with the term, 87.8 % agreed that dental evidence can be used in court of law, 57.8% were aware of dental age estimation, 93.9% agreed that human remains can be identified using teeth, 67% maintained records of patient, 73.4% agreed human bite marks as distinctive, 56.9% and 56.6% were familiar with dental ethics and dental litigation respectively and regarding future prospects majority of the participants showed interest to include forensic odontology at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. The result of this study concluded that there is a lack of adequate knowledge but sufficient awareness among practitioners. Increased level of interest and good response rate of integration of forensic odontology as a separate subject in curriculum encourages further research and seminars to help rapid advancements in this field.