Immediate identification of children in the world

by Margie Collins

Editorial Notes:

VJO has no financial interest in the systems described in this article.
This text was not submitted to the VJO scientific committee since it is not a scientific article.
The VJO staff has decided to publish this article considering the social relevance of this initiative. It does not represent any advertising and reflects only the writer's opinion.

Ortho•ID^TM was begun in December, 1995, in response to the concern of parents for their children. It is an adjunct to existing identification systems utilized in locating and identifying missing children.
However, this system uses the Internet to provide the capability of immediate identification from any location in the world. This innovative program provides law enforcement agencies, health care personnel and forensic professionals with an immediate method for identifying children through the use of the Ortho•ID^TM database.
The need for an immediate identification of a child who is a victim of a natural or man-made disaster, or abduction, can now be realized, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Ortho•ID^TM was originally developed for the Orthodontic profession. The practitioner accesses the Ortho•ID^TM database via the Internet and establishes a secure file which is password protected.

When the dentist enters pertinent patient information into that secure file, the database will issue a personalized alphanumeric code. This alphanumeric code, obtained from the Ortho•ID^TM database, is placed on the mesial aspect of the four first molar bands. The patient information provided by the Orthodontist will remain within the secure file until the treatment is completed at which time the patient will be deleted from the system.

Law enforcement, health care or forensic personnel are provided with a password which allows them to access the Ortho•ID^TM database when seeking the identity of an individual. The database verifies the organization making the inquiry prior to accepting the code request.
The organization then has access to the patient’s file. Only one patient’s file can be accessed with each code entered.

Ortho•ID^TM received many inquiries from parents of children who were not undergoing orthodontic treatment. They were also eager for a system that provided worldwide immediate identification. In response to these inquires concerning non-orthodontic application, Ortho•ID^TM expanded into other areas of intraoral identification. One of these applications is for stainless steel crowns on deciduous teeth. A code can be obtained through the Ortho•ID^TM database as with the orthodontic process. The code is then engraved onto the stainless steel crown.

The patient information will remain within the database until the deciduous teeth are lost.

Another option which has universal application is a laboratory fabricated metal disc which is engraved with an Ortho•ID^TM code and then bonded to a first molar. This system is applicable for children and adults.

As with any new program, Ortho•ID^TM has continued to evolve. Ortho•ID^TM now includes another expanded identification program, Ident•ID^TM. Both Ortho•ID^TM and Ident•ID^TM have URLs and either will take you to the Ortho•ID^TM/Ident•ID^TM web page.

Ident•ID^TM was created for three unique applications:

The first application is for those individuals with mental cognitive disorders such as Alzheimers disease.
Caretakers are justifiably concerned about these individuals becoming lost with no means of identification.
With Ident•ID^TM, the identification process is immediate.
The second application under Ident•ID^TM is for those individuals with a history of severe medical complications.
A physician, after a dentist has provided the intraoral identification system, can create a secure file within the Ident•ID^TM database for entering critical medical information about the patient. This medical information can be updated as required.
The individual’s medical history along with the name and address of his physician can be determined immediately.
The third aspect of Ident•ID^TM is for those individuals with complete or removable partial dentures.
The Ident•ID^TM obtained code is applied to the tissue side of the denture. This code remains with the patient for life.
The code will be transferred to a new denture when required.

Within the Ortho•ID^TM/Ident•ID^TMsystem there are no discrete parameters for the various applications. An orthodontic patient may have a history of severe medical problems or an Alzheimers patient may have dentures. This identification program allows for that diversity and overlapping. With its worldwide application utilizing the Internet, this program can provide individuals with peace of mind.
A portion of all proceeds from this program will be allocated for childrens' causes worldwide.

The Ortho•ID^TM/Ident•ID^TM web page can be accessed at: http://www.orthoid.com or http://www.identid.com

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