Ashith B. Acharya
Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara University, The University of Adelaide, SDM College of Dental Sciences and Hospital
0000-0002-9017-3129
About
Professor Dr. Ashith B. Acharya ranks among the top 100 forensic researchers globally in the category of Legal and Forensic Medicine. He leads India’s first dedicated Department of Forensic Odontology at SDM College of Dental Sciences, Dharwad. With over 23 years of full-time experience in this specialised field, Dr. Acharya regularly consults on forensic dental cases referred by law enforcement agencies and forensic professionals across India, having provided expert opinion on hundreds of human remains and subjects. A prolific researcher, he has authored nearly 50 peer-reviewed articles, most of which appear in prestigious international forensic and dental journals. As a committed educator, he trains dentists and dental students by integrating real-world casework and research into his teaching. He has served as an international advisor and examiner for universities in the UK, Australia and Malaysia, and contributes as an editorial board member and reviewer for leading journals in forensic science and dentistry, including the Journal of Forensic Odonto-Stomatology. Dr. Acharya is also actively involved in global committees that promote quality assurance in forensic dental practice. He is widely recognised for his expert opinion on bite mark analysis in the high-profile 2012 New Delhi sexual assault and homicide case (the 'Nirbhaya' case), where his forensic report was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court of India. His expertise also extends to historical and anthropological investigations, having contributed to cases such as the Annigeri skeletal remains and the Ajnala assemblage. A founding member of the Indian Association of Forensic Odontology, Dr. Acharya currently serves as its President. He has also contributed to government reports and authored chapters on forensic odontology in authoritative textbooks, including Shafer’s Textbook of Oral Pathology.
Employment
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Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara University Professor & Head2006 - Present
Education
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The University of Adelaide Graduate Diploma in Forensic Odontology (GDFO)2001 - 2001
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SDM College of Dental Sciences and Hospital Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS)1994 - 1999
Projects & Funding
Projects & funding information is unavailable.
Publications (42)
- Can studies and published findings on enamel rod-end patterns contribute to practical forensic dental identification? Save
- The Armchair Forensic Odontologist: A Clear and Present Danger to the Speciality in India Save
- Morphological dental trait examination of Ajnala skeletal remains and their possible population affinity Save
- Reflections on setting up forensic odontology department, its activities, and faculty Save
- Sex estimation in Indians by digital analysis of the gonial angle on lateral cephalographs Save
- A digital method of measuring the gonial angle on radiographs for forensic age estimation Save
- The irony of age estimation in an edentulous subject by dentists, and methods and techniques used in such a case Save
- The versatile use of free-to-download and open access computer software in forensic odontology casework Save
- Role of forensic odontology in disaster victim identification in the Indian context Save
- Forensic dental age estimation by measuring root dentin translucency area using a new digital technique Save