Top questions about Paternity Testing

1. What is a DNA Paternity Test?
2. Who needs to be tested?
3. Can Testing Take Place Without The Mother?
4. Where are samples collected?
5. Is there a collection site close to me?
6. Do all the parties have to submit a sample together?
7. Are buccal swabs as accurate as blood samples?
8. What do I need to bring to the appointment?
9. Can Samples Be Collected At Home?
10. How Is My Personal Information Protected?
11. Why Use Orchid Cellmark?

1. What is a DNA Paternity Test?
A paternity test is a scientific test which compares the DNA of a child, mother, and alleged father to determine the likelihood whether the man is or is not the biological father of a child.

2. Who needs to be tested?
It is preferable to test a child, alleged father and the mother of the child. However testing is possible without the mother’s sample and in certain circumstances, when the alleged father is unavailable or deceased, it is also possible to conduct a test using stored DNA samples from the alleged father or DNA from his biological relatives.

3. Can Testing Take Place Without The Mother?
It is possible to conduct a DNA paternity test without a sample from the child’s biological mother however it is preferred that the mother also provide a specimen.

4. Where are samples collected?
The samples for a Court Ready DNA paternity test are collected by one of our 5000 specimen collection sites throughout North America. The samples for a Curiosity DNA test are collected by the parties themselves in a non-clinical setting (usually home).

5. Is there a collection site close to me?
Orchid Cellmark has 5000 collection sites in North America. Please use our Collection Site Locator to find a site near your home or office.

6. Do all the parties have to submit a sample together?
No, parties can provide their samples at different times and in different cities or states. Orchid Cellmark has a large specimen collection network making it more convenient for all parties to submit samples.

7. Are buccal swabs as accurate as blood samples?
Buccal swabs and blood samples provide results with the same degree of accuracy. But since buccal swabs are easy and painless to collect, they are used in the majority of DNA paternity tests.

8. What do I need to bring to the appointment?
In a Court Ready test, each adult tested party should bring government issued photo identification (e.g. driver’s license or passport) and if possible, government-issued identification for the child.

9. Can Samples Be Collected At Home?
In a Curiosity test, standard cheek swab specimens, as well as non-standard samples, may be collected in a non-clinical setting such as a home. However the DNA paternity test results conducted using such samples are not to be used in a court of law. Results using samples collected at home will be for the knowledge of the tested parties only.

10. How Is My Personal Information Protected?
Your privacy and security are important to us. Once samples are taken at the collection site, they are packaged in a tamper proof bag for shipment to our DNA testing laboratory. Entry into our DNA testing facility is by restricted access only. All samples are bar-coded and all computer systems are secured. Results are sent to authorized individuals only and cases are only discussed with those who are authorized to do so. For the protection of the tested parties, results are not usually released over the phone except in unusual circumstances. All samples and DNA profiles are retained for a period of time, as required by accreditation guidelines but are destroyed after the requisite storage periods.

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