DNA Testing in Salem, Oregon

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Health Street offers DNA testing, legal paternity tests, and sibling DNA tests in Salem, Oregon at a centrally located testing laboratory. Register now, or call us at (971) 600-2270 with any questions. Our paternity testing (including grandparent DNA tests, avuncular (aunt or uncle) testing, and postmortem DNA testing) determines if two or more people are related.

Schedule your DNA test appointment online. Our legal DNA test results can be used in court for matters such as: child support, birth certificates, and custody cases. Appointments can be scheduled together or separately. Legal DNA tests are done by cheek swab at our testing centers. We also offer home DNA test kits for peace of mind. DNA can be tested from hair, fingernails, and other specimens.

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DNA Test - Salem, Oregon

Salem OR DNA Testing Locations

Paternity Testing in Salem, Oregon

There are several types of DNA testing services that are offered at our Salem testing centers to validate close family relationships. The most commonly ordered DNA test is a legal paternity test to conclusively establish whether or not a man is the biological father of a child. Health Street's 21 marker DNA paternity testing is the state of the art. Our paternity test results are statistically conclusive at the rate of 99.9% or greater.

Other DNA Tests

Relationship Tests to validate grandparent to grandchild, siblings, half-siblings, aunts, and uncles:

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Grandparent DNA Test (if the father is not available for testing)
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Sibling DNA Test (possible brothers, sisters, or half-siblings)
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Avuncular DNA Test (aunt/uncle and niece/nephew)

DNA tests such as sibling or avuncular studies, can sometimes come back with a result of less than 95% certainty. This is normal, especially if only two parties participate in the test. Adding an additional close relative to the test helps us learn more about the family's DNA composition and typically leads to a more conclusive result.

Specimens we can test for DNA

The easiest and most reliable way to perform a genetic sample collection for a paternity test is by a swab of the inner cheeks. These skin cells, known as buccal cells, rub off easily onto cotton swabs and remain in place, to be extracted by our testing laboratories for analysis.

Other specimens, such as hair follicles, fingernails, and garments that might contain someone's DNA, can also undergo lab testing to see if there is a match. These non-standard DNA tests are done by registering online for an Alternative Specimen DNA Test (Nails, Teeth, Fabric). Once registered, you ship the DNA sample to our lab. We'll attempt to extract the DNA and compare it to a cheek swab of the other party.

Legal DNA Tests vs. "Peace of Mind" At-Home Tests

When deciding which type of DNA test is right for you, consider first what you might do with the results. In order for the results to hold up in court, the DNA specimen must be collected at a clinic using strict chain of custody procedures. The DNA testing technicians at our Salem test centers are trained to follow guidelines that ensure that the results can be used for legal purposes.

The results of our legal DNA tests can be used for any legal purpose:

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to change the name on a birth certificate
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to petition for child support
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to petition for survivor benefits
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for child custody arrangements
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to alter inheritance procedures or wills

Home tests offer more flexibility:

Home DNA tests are specimens containing DNA (or possible DNA) that are shipped to us for analysis. The results of these home tests cannot be used in court (since there is no way to prove whose specimens were actually sent). However, the tests are just as accurate and can provide peace of mind. At-home DNA tests also offer a lot more flexibility.

In addition to commonly mailed in DNA specimens like hair follicles, we can also extract DNA from other bodily fluids. We can even try and lift the DNA left on items like clothing, a toothbrush, or a straw. If we can get the DNA from the alternative item, we can then compare it to another person to see if they are related. Some examples include:

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Q-tips
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Stained garments
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Mucus and other bodily fluids
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Soda cans
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Chewing gum

How to schedule a DNA Test in Salem OR

Scheduling a DNA test at one of our Salem clinics is simple and fast, and we often have appointments available in the same week, though it's always helpful to schedule in advance to make sure you get the time you want. We have clinics in Salem, plus many more throughout Oregon and across the United States. During registration, we'll show you the nearest locations so you can choose the one that's most convenient. You'll pick the times and days that you prefer.

You can set up separate appointments for each of the people being tested, either at the same location or at different locations. You'll get an email and text message with your appointment information. There is no fee if you need to change the time or location of a DNA test appointment at any time.

How long it takes to get results of a DNA test

Paternity tests conducted at one of our Salem facilities typically take about a week to come back. Other relationship tests, such as sibling studies, can take a few days longer to come back. When the results are ready, you are notified immediately via email. Then, the hard copies of the paperwork are sent afterward via regular mail.

The DNA test appointment - what to expect and what to bring

The appointment itself only takes about 15 minutes. The specimen collection process is a simple and painless cheek swab. No needles are used. When you're being tested at our Salem clinic, you'll be asked to provide fingerprints and to show photo identification. We'll also take pictures of the people being tested so that the final report will include legal assurances of who was actually tested.

For infants, hospital discharge papers qualify as identification. Otherwise, a birth certificate or social security card can be used as ID for a child. No other preparations are required for this appointment.

Does the mother need to be present at a paternity test?

If a man is considered the legal father of a child, then the mother does not have to be present or give consent for paternity testing. However, if he is not currently considered the legal father, then he cannot sign for the child. Therefore, the mother does need to be there. If neither parent is available, other legal guardians can bring the child so long as they have the right to make medical decisions on the child's behalf.

DNA testing if one party is not in Salem

The two parties testing (for example: father and child) do not have to be tested at the same time or even at the same location. We have many clinics across Oregon as well as nationwide, so we can test one party in Salem and the other party anywhere else in the USA. The specimens are then matched up in the lab for analysis.

Laboratory certifications

Health Street works strictly with AABB Certified labs for DNA testing. All specimens that are collected in Salem or elsewhere are shipped securely from our testing locations to a nationally certified laboratory.

Why Health Street

More than a Decade of Experience

Since 2010, Health Street has offered DNA tests in Salem, the state of Salem, Oregon, and throughout the nation.  Since our founding, we have focused on helping people obtain the DNA and paternity tests that they need, from Salem to neighborhoods everywhere.

Commitment to Excellence

Our mission is to understand the DNA testing needs of our clients. We strive to provide the most accurate, fast, and conclusive paternity tests in Salem. 

Salem, Oregon - DNA Testing

Establishing paternity in Salem, Oregon

When a mother and father agree on paternity, they can sign a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity to establish the child's legal father. Both parents must sign this form, there must be a notary public present, and parents must file it with Oregon Vital Records. The form can be completed after the birth of the child while the mother is still at the hospital.

If either parent is unsure about who the biological father is, then they can establish paternity through the court. Most often, the judge will order a DNA test to prove whether the alleged father is the biological father of the child. After the judge has established paternity, other rights and responsibilities towards the child can be addressed.

Benefits of Establishing Paternity

According to Salem family law attorney Daniel J. Lounsbury, there are many benefits that come with establishing legal paternity. This includes giving the child access to family medical history on the father's side, rights to inheritance from his or her biological father, and the right to receive the father's Social Security and/or Veterans Benefits if he were to pass away. A child also has the right to receive financial support from his or her biological father.

DNA test reunites Oregon woman with her father

Debi always knew she was adopted, and even though she bonded very well with her adoptive sisters, who were the biological daughters of her adoptive parents, she felt disconnected. Debie was adopted when she was eight months old. Her mother, 39 at that time, who was single, gave her up for adoption because she wanted her to have a traditional family. But her life changed suddenly when her adoptive parents died in her 20s, and she decided to look deeper into her biological family.

it was easy to find her mother because she gave all her information to the adoption agency in case Debi wanted to reach out. They got together and built a relationship, but her mother died seven years later of cancer. After that, she decided to look for her father.

Soon she did a DNA test and connected with her half-sisters. The hardest part was telling their dad because he had no idea Debi existed. Finally, they met. And since that, they have planned many more visits and talked weekly.

Last updated 9/23/2022

Neighborhoods in Salem Served by our Clinics

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Bush Park
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Fairmount Hills
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Grant
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Jan Ree
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Foxhaven
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Engewood
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Candalaria
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Illahe
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Croisan Mountain
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South Salem

Additional Services

Health Street offers a variety of other services, including:

Citations

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Paternity Forms & Instructions. Oregon Health Authority : Paternity Forms & Instructions : Change Vital Records : State of Oregon. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/BIRTHDEATHCERTIFICATES/CHANGEVITALRECORDS/Pages/InstructionsPaternity.aspx
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Osby, L. (2018, September 30). Oregon woman finds birth father in Greenville. he never knew she existed. The Greenville News. Retrieved August 29, 2022, from https://eu.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/2018/09/30/dna-test-leads-oregon-woman-father-who-didnt-know-she-existed/1409364002/
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"What is Oregon's process for establishing paternity?" Daniel J. Lounsbury Attorney at Law, 12 July 2017, https://www.willamettevalleylegal.com/blog/2017/07/what-is-oregons-process-for-establishing-paternity/