THE TEACHING OF FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY IN PUBLIC UNDERGRADUATE DENTISTRY PROGRAMS IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL

Abstract

Forensic Dentistry, which integrates dental and legal knowledge, is essential in both clinical and forensic practice. In Brazil, laws and guidelines—such as Law No. 5.081/1966, CFO Resolution No. 63/2005, and the 2021 National Curriculum Guidelines—direct the training of dentists to ensure ethical and legal responsibility. However, many higher education institutions still offer insufficient preparation in this field. This documentary research involved collecting data from public documents made available by the institutions. Pedagogical Course Projects (PPCs) and curricular matrices were analyzed to examine the availability, workload, and mandatory nature of the courses in Forensic Dentistry, Deontology, and Dicelogy in undergraduate Dentistry programs in Southern Brazil. Results showed that 87.5% of the programs offer Forensic Dentistry during the final internship stage, with an average workload of 50 hours. Deontology and Dicelogy content are present in all programs, although predominantly with workloads below 60 hours. These findings reveal limitations in the distribution and workload of ethical-legal courses, which may compromise the comprehensive and critical training of future dentists.