Articles/Publications | Ordering Information | Links
Click here to view the Curriculum Vitae of David A. Tesini (Developer of Toothprints)
Toothprints®
and Child Identification
One of our worst fears we all have had is that our children could get lost, or
worse, abducted. The Massachusetts Masonic
Lodges in conjunction with the Massachusetts Dental Society and Massachusetts
Association of Crime Prevention Officers has implemented the CHIP (Child
Identification Program), and to date have taken videos, fingerprints and
Toothprints®
on over 200,000 children in the Commonwealth. The Massachusetts program is the
most comprehensive program in the world.
What is a Toothprint®? When we place the softened thermoplastic wafer in the child's mouth and instruct them to "bite tight like a lion" we are recording the size and shape of teeth, the position of the teeth in the jaw, and the relationships of the jaws to each other. The impression is a permanent record like fingerprints, it is unique to every individual. Even identical twins have different Toothprints®. Children should have Toothprints® at age 3-4, again at age 8-9 and finally at age 11-12, if there are no fillings or other dental identifiers. The other major advantage to the impression is (1) the saliva provides cells for DNA sample, and (2) the saliva scent on the wafer can be used for scent dogs to track lost or missing children.
What Do We Do?
We take the bite impression and place it in a zip lock bag with your child's name on it. Do not open the bag because it will contaminate the scent and perhaps the DNA sample. When you get home place it in a safe spot where you can remember where it is. Keep it with a recent photograph.
This is the FIRST step in Child Safety, but...
. . . you should attend a CHIP program with the videos, fingerprints' and tons of EDUCATIONAL information when it is held in your community, a list of events can be found on the web at www.mychip.org. Hopefully, no one will ever need any of this. We will be perfectly happy if we waste the wafer and the bag. However, if it ever makes a difference, we would be very thankful.
Tesini Pediatric Dentistry
create Toothprints®
for our young patients
at no additional charge, even for kids that might not
be regular patients of the practice.
We are pleased to offer this important service to as many
of our young friends and neighbors as possible.
Articles/Publications about Toothprints®
Development of
Bite Impression Technique for Use
in Identification of Missing and Unknown Children
(The Journal of the Massachusetts Dental Society,
Spring 1985, Vol. 34 No.2)
Support for
Thermoplastic Impressions
(Journal of Illinois State Dental Society,
March 2005, Vol.74 No.3)
Support for the Use of Thermoplastic Bite
Impressions to Aid
in the Identification of Missing and Unknown Children
(The Journal of the Massachusetts Dental
Society, Summer 2005)
Dentistry's Role in
Identification in Missing and Unknown Children:
Update on the Dental Bite Impression Technique
(The Journal of the Massachusetts Dental Society,
Summer 1999, Vol. 48 No.2)
Toothprints: A
Comprehensive Recovery, Identification,
Forensic, and Prosecution Tool
(The Journal of the Massachusetts Dental
Society, Summer 2005)
Schools Gain National
Recognition for Safety
Milton Times, Vol. 6, No.14, Thursday,
March 8, 2001
A New Way to Identify Missing Children
Dedham Weekly, Dedham, MA, May 26, 1999
Masons Provide ID's for Kids
Chicopee Herald, Chicopee, MA Weekly, June 19, 2002
Committee Adopts Child ID
Program
Salem Evening News, Salem MA. Daily, Tuesday, 12, 2002
Child ID Program Completed in
Schools
Holbrook Sun, March 1, 2002
Overview of the Use of
Toothprints Thermoplastic Bite Impressions to
Aid in Dental Identification…(and other clinical applications)
David A. Tesini, DMD, MS ; Associate
Clinical Professor, Tufts University School of Dental
Medicine, Private Pediatric Dentistry/Orthodontic Practice, Natick, MA, April,
2005
The Dental Forensic
Value of Toothprints
RDH Magazine, April 2006
KIDS Day America - dedicated to children's safety
Inquiries regarding the ordering of Toothprints® Thermoplastic Bite Impressions for your office or community event should be addressed to:
Dr. John Wagner
The Easy Tray Corporation
2211 N. 56th Ave.
Seattle, Washington 98103
(800) 726-1628
MyChip.org - Read about the Masonic CHip (Child Identification Program) incorporating Toothprints resulting in the most comprehensive child identification program in the country.
YourSafeChild.com - Ordering information on ChildPrint Plus ID Kit® with Toothprints®
FirstStepVentures.com - For Information on Toothprints and biometric identification for infants.
