It is estimated more than 600 people are unaccounted from Camp Fire burning through northern California, according to NPR.
Officials also said more than 60 people have died because of the fire. Jim Wood, DDS, is working to identify the victims. In an interview with NPR, Dr. Wood explained the work he is doing, and the challenges posed by identifying victims.
"The challenge we are going to have here is the lack of dental records," Dr. Wood told NPR. According to the dentist, many of the dental practices were torched in the flames, leaving only a dozen dental practices open. Getting in touch with practices is key to identifying patients, because Dr. Wood uses X-rays to identify the victims.
This is also not the first time Dr. Wood has been tasked with identifying patients after natural disasters. Dr. Wood traveled to Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina to help with recovery. There, Dr. Wood faced the same problem, a lack of dental records.
To listen to the full interview, click here here.
More articles on dentists:
Delta Dental of Virginia names new COO
Drs. Samuel Low, Kirty Pathak & more: 5 dentists making headlines
Are free clinics cues to a broken system?
Officials also said more than 60 people have died because of the fire. Jim Wood, DDS, is working to identify the victims. In an interview with NPR, Dr. Wood explained the work he is doing, and the challenges posed by identifying victims.
"The challenge we are going to have here is the lack of dental records," Dr. Wood told NPR. According to the dentist, many of the dental practices were torched in the flames, leaving only a dozen dental practices open. Getting in touch with practices is key to identifying patients, because Dr. Wood uses X-rays to identify the victims.
This is also not the first time Dr. Wood has been tasked with identifying patients after natural disasters. Dr. Wood traveled to Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina to help with recovery. There, Dr. Wood faced the same problem, a lack of dental records.
To listen to the full interview, click here here.
More articles on dentists:
Delta Dental of Virginia names new COO
Drs. Samuel Low, Kirty Pathak & more: 5 dentists making headlines
Are free clinics cues to a broken system?