(a)  In deaths investigated by the coroner or medical examiner where he or she is unable to establish the identity of the body or human remains by visual means, fingerprints, or other identifying data, the coroner or medical examiner may have a qualified dentist, as determined by the coroner or medical examiner, carry out a dental examination of the body or human remains. If the coroner or medical examiner with the aid of the dental examination and other identifying findings is still unable to establish the identity of the body or human remains, he or she shall prepare and forward the dental examination records to the Department of Justice on forms supplied by the Department of Justice for that purpose.

(b)  The Department of Justice shall act as a repository or computer center, or both, with respect to dental examination records and the final report of investigation specified in § 27521 of the Government Code. The Department of Justice shall compare the dental examination records and the final report of investigation, if applicable, to records filed with the Violent Crime Information Center (Title 12 (commencing with Section 14200) of Part 4 of the Penal Code), shall determine which scoring probabilities are the highest for purposes of identification, and shall submit the information to the coroner or medical examiner who submitted the dental examination records and the final report of investigation, if applicable.

(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 284, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2001.)