DNA Test - Odessa, TX
Health Street provides DNA tests and legal paternity testing in Odessa, Texas at 4 conveniently located testing laboratories. Call (432) 201-2981 or schedule online. We offer legal paternity tests, sibling studies, grandparent DNA tests, avuncular (aunt or uncle) testing, and postmortem DNA testing to determine if people are biologically related.
Set up DNA testing appointments online. Test results can be used in court for child support or to change a birth certificate; it can also be used for simple peace of mind. Appointments can be scheduled together or separately. Legal DNA tests are done by cheek swab at our testing centers. We can also extract DNA samples from hair follicles, fingernails, and other specimens.
Page last updated 12/12/2024
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DNA Test - Odessa, Texas
Types of DNA Tests at our Odessa, Texas clinics:
Paternity Testing can conclusively establish whether or not a man is the biological father of a child.
Relationship Testing for other close family relationships can be performed at our testing centers. Our DNA testing services can confirm or deny biological relationships between grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, half-siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews:
Specimens we can test for DNA
The easiest and most reliable way to obtain a DNA sample for paternity testing is to swab the inner cheeks of the alleged father and child or children. These skin cells are known as buccal cells, and they rub off easily onto cotton swabs and remain in place for analysis by our laboratory.
Other specimen samples, such as hair follicles, fingernails, and garments that might contain someone's DNA, can also be tested. An Alternative Specimen DNA Test is done by ordering one of our testing kits online and shipping the specimens back to us.
Legal DNA Tests vs. "Peace of Mind" At-Home Tests
A Legal Paternity Test is a court admissible lab testing service performed at an AABB accredited laboratory. Accurate results for DNA paternity testing with 99.99% confidence or greater take about a week.
When deciding which type of DNA test is right for you, consider first what you might do with the results. A legal paternity DNA test will hold up in court for such matters as child support or to change the name on a birth certificate. This test must be performed using strict chain of custody procedures. Our Odessa DNA testing technicians are trained to follow these guidelines so that the results will be legally admissible.
How to schedule a DNA Test in Odessa TX
Scheduling a DNA test at one of our Odessa clinics is simple and fast, and we often have appointments available in the same week. It's always helpful to schedule in advance to make sure you get the time you want. Please call our customer service team to help you book your appointment over the phone, or set up your appointment easily online.
We have state of the art testing labs and friendly clinics that perform the DNA sample collection in Odessa, plus many more locations throughout Texas and across the United States. During registration, we'll show you the nearest locations for DNA testing so you can choose the site that's most convenient. You'll also pick the times and days that you prefer.
Why Health Street
A Decade Plus of Experience
Health Street has provided DNA tests since 2010. The first DNA test we performed in Odessa, TX was in 2018.
Odessa, Texas - DNA Testing
Establishing paternity in Odessa, TX
When two people are married and have a child, it is not necessary to establish paternity because the law automatically recognizes two parents. However, establishing paternity becomes essential if a child is born outside of marriage. In Texas, people have two options. If they agree on the biological father and cooperate, they can quickly establish paternity when the child is born at the hospital. They can sign an Acknowledgement of Paternity (AOP), and the hospital staff can help them process it.
If the parents do not cooperate or disagree about who the birth father is, they may have to go to court, and the judge can establish paternity. The judge often orders DNA testing, which can easily prove paternity. Either parent can file a suit in court, or they can hire an attorney to do it for them. A DNA test is accurate and straightforward and will accurately determine whether the man and the child tested have a father-child relationship.
Odessa, Texas: Mistaken paternity
Sometimes, a man who was established as a child's father questions whether he is the biological father. In this case, he will need to ask the court to terminate his parent-child relationship. The process can be quite complex, and usually there will be a pretrial hearing to determine if the alleged father meets all the legal requirements to move forward. The father and the child must take a DNA test, which will show whether he is or is not the birth father.
If the DNA test shows he is not the biological father, the court may order the termination of their relationship. However, he may still be responsible for paying child support up to the termination date. It is important to note that the termination of their relationship does not eliminate the unpaid support or interest beforehand.
Former Odessa College Employee Finds Brother with DNA Testing
When 71-year-old Dennis McMillan and 69-year-old Clayton Alred learned that they were brothers, both were shocked. While McMillan knew he was adopted, he was never aware of having any siblings.
After finding an obituary clipping with a hand-written note that said "Dennis' grandfather," he began doing some genealogical research and eventually took a home DNA test. The results led him to Alred. The two exchanged several emails, and, eventually, met in person.
Both were immediately struck by their vast similarities. Not only did they look and dress alike, but both were also college administrators at nearby schools (Amarillo College and Odessa College) with very similar jobs. They found that they both worked for the same boss at different times at these two colleges, and that it was likely they had attended the same conventions, functions, and accreditation hearings over the years. Members of both families have now been reunited and are planning future reunions.
Neighborhoods in Odessa Served by our Clinics
Additional Services
Health Street offers a variety of other services, including: