Sex determination by reference to dental plaster casts of young adults

Dental plaster casts of young Caucasians were examined by dentists with the objective of determining the sex of the subjects from whom they were taken. The first hypothesis tested was that dentists cannot distinguish the sexes, and second, that dentists cannot distinguish between the sexes from such an examination. The results of both tests were consistent with chance findings. However, half of the casts were perceived by 75 percent of dentists as being of a specific sex, which suggested that dentists shared some unfounded prejudices. It is concluded that dentists cannot differentiate sex by inspection alone of the general form and presentation of shape and size of dentate arches.