Final answer:
It is important to include dental information in a missing person record because it can help identify a person, provide insights into their medical history, and aid in matching dental remains to a missing individual.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is important to include dental information in a missing person record for several reasons. Firstly, dental records can be crucial in identifying a person, especially when other forms of identification may be lacking, such as in cases of decomposed or severely damaged remains. Dental records contain unique characteristics, such as dental work, fillings, and abnormalities, that can help establish a person's identity.
Dental records can also provide information about a person's medical history and help establish a timeline of events leading up to their disappearance. For example, dental x-rays can reveal signs of trauma, infection, or disease, which may be relevant to a missing person investigation.
Furthermore, dental information can aid in the comparison of dental remains to dental charts, allowing forensic odontologists to assess if a set of remains belongs to a specific missing person.