01 April 2026
Who Owns That Tooth?
Dr Sandro D'Adamo, BDSc, MDSc, PhD, MRACDS (Orth), FICD
Dental Consultant
When a patient has a tooth extracted, who owns that tooth? The patient does.
The patient should always be asked whether they would like to keep the tooth, as they may not be aware that the tooth belongs to them.
Permission must be granted by the patient before any extracted tooth is retained, disposed of, or used for any purpose other than returning it to the patient.
When an extracted tooth is intended for use in research, education, or display, explicit written consent must be obtained from the patient.
The ADA Guidelines for Infection Prevention and Control, 5th Edition-Amended (2026), state that “Extracted teeth, once cleaned of visible blood, debris, adherent soft tissues, and saliva, may be placed in the general waste, or given to the patient sealed in a suitable container or in a sealed steriliser pouch”. If not wanted by the patient, dentists are obligated to manage the handling and disposal of extracted teeth.
Disputes have occurred, and members have been accused of keeping extracted teeth for financial benefit. In each of these instances the teeth involved have had a gold crown, or other restoration containing gold.
Do not find yourself dealing with an angry patient -ask them if they want to keep their tooth.
