I was taught that you've got to be alive before you can be dead.
So, if you approach the field from the dead side, to properly join overhead, you must first cross the active runway (within the boundary of the field, not on the extended centreline) to the live side at the appropriate OHJ height before crossing back again and commencing a standard deadside descent and join.
If you merely descend on the approach to the field when you just happen to be on the deadside, you are not 'descending deadside' - that is a crosswind join. I've done this, but only when the circuit is empty. I often ask A/G for any known circuit traffic when making my joining call, but of course, there could be somebody around who is not talking.
Standard OHJ is safer in my book.