The Turin Declaration on Humanitarian Forensic Odontology - La Declaración de Turín sobre Odontología Forense Humanitaria

The Turin Declaration on Humanitarian Forensic Odontology was signed during the Panel Discussion of the 2nd AFOHR Biennial Symposium on the 14th of October 2023, by all contributors. This document will serve as a framework to guide the practice, development, and advancement of humanitarian forensic odontology (HFO). HFO refers to the application of forensic odontology principles, practices, and techniques leading to the best practices in human identification and age estimation through the humanitarian approach which comprises humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence.
HFO is used in various scenarios like mass disasters, armed conflicts, terrorist attacks, human trafficking, and abuse cases. Its action includes recognizing, gathering, examining, interpreting, reporting, and presenting (in a court of law) dental evidence to help identify victims of any age spectrum, document human rights abuses, and offer proof for legal proceedings. HFO also aims to bring closure to affected families while respecting their right to obtain information about loved ones and contribute to justice through comprehensive assessments involving multiple disciplines.