In disaster situations, identifying victims often becomes a significant challenge. One method used to assist in this process is forensic identification through dental examination, as teeth are highly resistant to extreme conditions such as fires or explosions.
A total of 150 students from the Faculty of Dentistry at Universitas Gadjah Mada (FKG UGM) participated in a Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) simulation held on 10 September 2024. This simulation was part of the first phase of DVI training, aimed at enhancing students' skills in identifying disaster victims.
The activity was supervised by a team of police doctors from Biddokes Yogyakarta, under the guidance of Drg. Budi Santoso, Sp.Pros., who provided instructions to the participants before the simulation began. "Today’s simulation is part of the learning process. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes; we are here to learn together," he said to the students.
drg. Silviana Farrah Diba, Sp.RKG(K), the responsible lecturer, explained that DVI has four main phases, and today's simulation covered the first phase. "Today, the students are focused on the procedures carried out at the disaster site," she said.
The students were divided into several groups to facilitate the field tasks. Each group carried out their duties according to the applicable DVI procedures.
During the simulation, the students acted as the identification team at the disaster site. They performed various standard DVI procedures, such as cordoning off the disaster area, searching for victims, and labeling body parts found at the scene. Throughout the simulation, the students were trained to follow all the necessary steps in DVI, including labeling and transporting the bodies according to forensic protocols.
This simulation is expected to help students better understand the vital role of dentistry in disaster victim identification and enhance their forensic skills. This is in line with the realization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) goal 3 Good Health and Welfare, SDG goal 4 Quality Education, and SDG goal 17 Partnership to Achieve the Goals.
Photo: Fajar Budi H.
