News

Something to smile about: medium-sized clinic wins giant-sized achievement

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Samuel Taylor
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  For years, Team Dover's 436th Dental Squadron has given service members a reason to smile - a healthy mouth. Last week, the squadron gave itself a reason to grin when it was crowned the Air Force's best medium-sized dental clinic by the Air Force Medical Service Awards Program.

The announcement marks the first time the squadron has garnered the Air Force-level distinction. They won the top spot in Air Mobility Command several times before, including in 2008, 2010 and 2011 - years of service to Team Dover that did not go unnoticed.

The team award considers factors like patient satisfaction, oral health, class-one readiness and access to care, said Lt. Col. Eric Cathey, commander of the 436th DS. In terms of access to care, the squadron boasted an average of six days compared to the AF average of 21 days, and readiness was 98 percent compared to AF average of 95 percent. The squadron also met more than 105 percent of its productivity goals.

Though the numbers speak for themselves, another deciding category was additional duties performed around Dover AFB - voluntary responsibilities that helped showcase the quality of dental troops base-wide.

"Troops [from the 436th DS] have served as First Term Airman's Course leaders, ceremonial guardsmen and Airman's Council presidents," said Cathey. "Many of them also volunteer as members of the Dental Evidence Response Team, which forensically identifies our fallen heroes at the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center. For this duty, the squadron receives no additional manning - we do it to honor our fallen heroes."

The dental troops' service at Dover AFB also includes educating Team Dover's youngest members about the importance of oral hygiene. They routinely visit base schools, usually with their well-known "giant teeth" on hand, to give interactive demonstrations aimed at reinforcing parents' emphasis on brushing and flossing teeth at home.

However, the 436th DS's presence is not confined within the clinic - or the gates of Dover AFB. The squadron also takes an active role in building and strengthening community partnerships.

"Our clinic routinely hosts students from local colleges to offer them exposure to a variety of patients, and briefs them on dental careers in and outside the Air Force," said Master Sgt. Jennifer Jones, superintendant of the 436th DS. "We also duplicate and send approximately 300 casts of teeth in support of the National Forensics Course, which helps train specialists to identify dental records in a mass disaster; without the support of our clinic, this program would not have enough resources to complete their training."

How does a medium-sized clinic fulfill such a broad mission? Airman 1st Class Ashton Collins, a dental assistant with the 436th DS, said proper structuring and a commitment to the patient is what makes the 436th DS stand out from competition while getting the job done.

"Everything here is 'patients first;' if a patient needs care, we will find an appointment for them," said Collins. "Our days are regimented in a way that guarantees the best care for every patient - from commanders to military working dogs - in order to get them refocused on their mission."

Even service members not suffering from a nagging toothache may benefit from the 436th DS's recognition - the confidence that their teeth are receiving top-notch care can give them peace of mind necessary to keep their mind on the mission.