YOGYAKARTA - Universitas Gadjah Mada sends two forensic odontology experts - . Prof. Dr. drg. Sudibyo, SU., Sp. Perio (K) and Dr.drg. Ahmad Syaify, Sp.Perio (K) - to join the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team from the East Java Police in identifying the bodies of passengers on Air Asia QZ8501 flight that crashed after Christmas last year on the Java sea. The identification is done through examination of dents.
“Universitas Gadjah Mada is sending two experts in forensic odontology to help with the identification of victims of the Air Asia plane crash,” said Rector of UGM, Prof. Ir. Dwikorita Karnawati, M.Sc., Ph.D., to journalists on Monday (5/1) on campus.
The man who chaired identification team for the Garuda GA 200 plane accident back in 2007 said that to identify the Air Asia victims they use primary data i.e. DNA, finger prints and dents, and the secondary data i.e. documents necessary for the identification process.
Sudibyo said the most reliable identification is by examining the dents as dents remain intact despite burnts, crash or submergence. “Of course, DNA examination is reliable, too, but it takes longer to do,” he said.
Before joining the DVI, said Sudibyo, his departure to Surabaya was at his own initiative. As member of the national national odontology forensic team, he feels it a calling when disasters strike that need his expertise in dental forensic.