Dental Radiographs for Age Estimation in US Asylum Seekers

Methodological, Ethical, and Health Issues

Bibliographic Data

ID11028375
AuthorsFarzana Kapadia (0000-0003-3459-767X, Farzana Kapadia, Deputy Editor at AJPH, is with the Department of Epidemiology, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY. Jacqueline Stevens is with the Department of Political Science and the Deportation Research Clinic, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. Diana Silver is with the School of Global Public Health, New York University.), Jacqueline Stevens (0000-0003-0032-6564, Farzana Kapadia, Deputy Editor at AJPH, is with the Department of Epidemiology, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY. Jacqueline Stevens is with the Department of Political Science and the Deportation Research Clinic, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. Diana Silver is with the School of Global Public Health, New York University.), Diana Silver (0000-0002-8135-0306, Farzana Kapadia, Deputy Editor at AJPH, is with the Department of Epidemiology, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY. Jacqueline Stevens is with the Department of Political Science and the Deportation Research Clinic, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. Diana Silver is with the School of Global Public Health, New York University.)
Year2020
Volume110
Issue12
Pages1786-1789
Publication date2020-12-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
PublisherAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2020.305918
PMID33058705
OpenAlexW3093183730
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited10

Unaccompanied migrant children seeking asylum status in the United States are often forced to undergo dental radiographs, or x-rays, to verify that they are younger than 18 years. The application of third molar dental radiographs is methodologically flawed and should not be employed as a determinant of chronological age. Furthermore, the use of such tests without obtaining informed consent from either the youth or an objective advocate is unethical. Finally, the legal and health consequences of these inappropriately applied tests are severe and jeopardize the safety and security of these vulnerable minors

Alternative medicine · Dental health · Estimation · Family medicine · Informed consent · Political science · Psychiatry · Refugee · Autopsy Techniques and Outcomes · Dental Radiography and Imaging · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · Law · Medicine · Psychology

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