Are you "dental-ready?"

  • Published
  • By Jennifer Greene
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo.- --  Part of the Whiteman Dental Clinic's mission is to ensure servicemembers are "dental-ready" before deployment or a tour overseas. With five dentists, 19 enlisted technicians and two civilians on staff, they are ready to serve. 

According to Master Sgt. Steve Winslow, NCO in charge Dental Operations Flight, a dental condition left untreated can affect an individual's overall health to the point of affecting job performance. 

"A system is in place at Whiteman for preventative care, a person cannot be medically fit unless dentally fit," said Sergeant Winslow.
A recall system will notify members of Team Whiteman when an annual dental examination is needed or to diagnose an oral disease that needs to be treated. 

Having won the Air Combat Command medium dental clinic in 2008, they have a reason to be confident in their abilities. 

"Most of our work goes unnoticed until someone has a toothache, then we become visible to Team Whiteman," said Sergeant Winslow. "Dental health is an important part of the physical health assessment." 

The dental team is always ready to provide the best dental care possible, even if it means sending people to a different facility. 

"If we are not capable of performing the procedure here, we have the capability to out-source to make sure everyone gets the care they need," said Tech Sgt. Carolina Ramirez, NCOIC of dental readiness. 

Furthermore, the dental team ensures Team Whiteman is deployment ready, Sergeant Ramirez takes care of more than 300 military members each month to ensure their pre-deployment and re-integration appointments and screenings are done in a timely fashion. 

"When notified of a pre-deployment screening or upon re-integration it is required to make an appointment with our office," said Sergeant Ramirez. "It has to be signed off by a commander before one can begin (rest and relaxation)." 

A common misconception about dentistry is that is has to be painful or that dental health cannot be reversed if it has fallen by the wayside. Through proper care and regular checkups, the Whiteman Dental Clinic staff will help you become "dental-ready."