DT News - UK - BDA criticises dental radiographs for age assessment of young asylum seekers

Dental Tribune International

Fri. 27 November 2015

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LONDON, UK: In a position statement, the British Dental Association (BDA) has issued a warning that radiographs should not be routinely used to assess the age of young asylum seekers. Its statement is in response to increasing concerns raised by the Refugee Council that the practice is being misused to determine the age of adolescents who claim to be minors in cases in which authorities dispute this.

Facing large numbers of immigrants owing to the European refugee crisis, immigration authorities have increasingly been turning to radiographs as a “scientific” way to resolve age disputes. Although dental age estimation is widely used, limitations of the method in determining chronological age have been proven in various studies.

In response to controversial debates about the topic, the BDA has now taken an unequivocal stand: “The BDA is vigorously opposed to the use of dental X-rays to determine whether asylum seekers have reached 18. This is an inaccurate method for assessing age. The BDA also believes that it is inappropriate and unethical to take radiographs of people when there is no health benefit for them. X-rays taken for a clinically-justified reason must not be used for another purpose without the patient’s informed consent, without coercion and in full knowledge of how the radiograph will be used and by whom.”

Owing to the different entitlements applying to child asylum seekers, young adults often have to undergo age assessment procedures. While the Home Office, the government department responsible for immigration, does not currently commission dental radiographs, some local authority social workers have been eager to use them, the Refugee Council has reported on its website.

Therefore, the Refugee Council became aware of the practice after young people they were helping were to be sent for radiographs without informed consent being obtained. Apparently, the adolescents were told that they would be regarded as adults unless they agreed to a dental radiograph. Further, they were advised that the radiographic results could be definitively interpreted to determine a young person’s age.

Based on the BDA statement, this action is neither appropriate nor accurate. Because children grow at widely different rates, skeletal and dental maturity shown on radiographs do not necessarily match chronological age. Third molars, for example, can reach full maturity as early as age 15 or as late as 25, or in some cases never fully develop at all.

“Social workers should instead rely on the expert guidance already available to help them carry out lawful, sensitive and accurate age assessments,” Refugee Council policy manager Judith Dennis said.

In October, the Association of Directors of Children’s Services issued an official guideline, “Age assessment guidance”, in order to assist social workers and their managers in undertaking age assessments in the UK.

The guideline can be accessed at www.adcs.org.

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