{"id":657,"date":"2026-10-08T22:21:59","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T22:21:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.randolphdental.com\/blog\/?p=657"},"modified":"2026-11-04T22:28:47","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T22:28:47","slug":"dentist-9-11-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.randolphdental.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/dentist-9-11-story\/","title":{"rendered":"A Dentist\u2019s Story of the Aftermath of 9\/11"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.randolphdental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/AdobeStock_367841222-1.jpeg\" alt=\"National flag of the United States of America \" class=\"wp-image-658\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After the tragedy of 9\/11, forensic dentists had a critical role in identifying the remains of the victims. Many of the individuals who died in the attack had been burned beyond recognition. As such, dental records were crucial for identification. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.randolphdental.com\/dr-glen-goldstein.html\">Dr. Glen Goldstein<\/a> was one of many forensic dentists who aided with identification efforts following 9\/11. Here is the story of his experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Importance of Forensic Dentistry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Forensic dentistry has been used for centuries to identify people who have passed away. Teeth are the most durable part of the human skeleton. As such, in situations where facial recognition or taking fingerprints are no longer options, it\u2019s often possible to figure out who a person was by looking at existing dental records. Even without such records, a person\u2019s dentition can be used to estimate their age, ethnicity, and gender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dr. Goldstein\u2019s Experience After 9\/11<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On 9\/11, Dr. Goldstein received a call from his dental school roommate. He was informed that one of his patients had been on the top floor of the World Trade Center during the attack, and his dental records were needed to identify his remains. Due to the loss of his patient and his desire to give back to his community, Dr. Goldstein felt that it was important for him to help however he could in the wake of the disaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the next nine months, Dr. Goldstein spent every Friday serving as a volunteer forensic dentist. The work involved gathering dental records and comparing evidence in order to identify victims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was a slow and emotionally grueling task. Many of the bodies were heavily damaged, and there were often few remains that could be used for the identification process. On top of that, gathering dental records came with its own difficulties. Some dental practices were reluctant to provide the necessary records, and certain individuals had limited records to begin with because they only saw the dentist when they needed emergency care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Needless to say, Dr. Goldstein found the work to be emotionally difficult and haunting. He says after a day on the job, he could still smell death coming off his head even after a shower. However, he feels that it was all worth it in the long run because it allowed the loved ones of the identified victims to find the closure that they needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thanks to the effort of Dr. Goldstein and many other forensic dentists, many families were able to say their goodbyes and move forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Author<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr. Glen Goldstein graduated from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He is a Fellow and Diplomate of the International Congress of Oral Implantology, and he is a member of the American Dental Association and the New Jersey Dental Association. At Randolph Dental Care, he offers world-class dental care to patients of all ages. If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Goldstein, you can do so by visiting his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.randolphdental.com\/appointments.html\">website<\/a> or calling (973) 895-7995.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After the tragedy of 9\/11, forensic dentists had a critical role in identifying the remains of the victims. Many of the individuals who died in the attack had been burned beyond recognition. As such, dental records were crucial for identification. Dr. Glen Goldstein was one of many forensic dentists who aided with identification efforts following [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-657","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A Randolph Dentist&#039;s Post-9\/11 Story | Randolph Dental Care<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As a forensic dentist, Dr. Goldstein had an important role to play in the aftermath of 9\/11. 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