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EDITORIAL

The end of another year; a year that has included some excellent forensic odontology contributions to various conferences and meetings around the world. In Funchal, Madeira this September, IOFOS participated in the 19^th World Meeting of the IAFS, (including the World Police Medical Officers and the Mediterranean Academy of Forensic Sciences). I attended the Inaugural Symposium of the Australian Society of Forensic Odontology in October, held in Darwin, the capital city of Northern Territory, Australia. This is a city familiar with disasters having been rebuilt twice following the Japanese air raids of the Second World War and Cyclone Tracy in 1974. The New Zealand Society of Forensic Odontology is wrestling with accreditation, so there is much activity in the Antipodes too!

It is hoped that manuscripts from some of the presentations of these meetings will be submitted to the JFOS in due course. It is encouraging to note the variety and quality of the forensic odontology (and related subject) presentations and learn from the developing and continuing research. A global approach with sharing of information and ideas is very welcome to the ongoing success of our discipline.

Official figures released after the earthquake in February in Christchurch, New Zealand, show that odontology contributed to more than 30% of the identifications, our fingerprint colleagues were successful in over 40% of cases. With teamwork and the relevant quality assurances in place, the painstaking DVI process moves forward, returning mass fatality incident victims to families and friends. Non-accidental injury to children continues to be a global problem despite various interventions and bite mark evidence is still causing occasional problems.

Following the General Assembly of IOFOS at the Madeira conference there are several changes, most notably that the Presidency of IOFOS is now in the hands of Professor Pinchi in Italy. Hrvoje Brkic (Croatia) is taking over the Newsletter. I too am standing down as editor and am happy to hand over to Patrick Thevissen in Belgium. I have enjoyed the last few years as editor but now is the time to pass on the responsibilities and I am sure that Patrick with the support of a department and administrative staff will move the Journal and its reputation forward. I must thank my assistant editor (Charles) for his time and patience helping me format each issue. On behalf of us all I wish the new team every success in steering IOFOS forward and congratulate the departing colleagues for all their hard work and dedication.

This issue is a truly international effort, with authors from America to Australia and includes case histories, a pilot study and various research articles – I hope that there is something to interest all readers whatever their experience levels. I thank you for the invitation to become the editor and I will take away a valuable experience, along with international networks and new friendships. Also, I would like to thank all the reviewers for their efforts and willingness to make time to encourage and support our authors.

Warmest festive greetings to you all. Wishing you a happy and healthy 2012. Perhaps your New Year’s resolution will be to provide the new editor with a manuscript for summer 2012?

Judy Hinchliffe (BDS, Dip F Od, Hon FFFLM)

Editor