| Subject: Re: Be happy you have a soap-box to stand on… |
Author:
Cap'n Nemo
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Date Posted: 08:20:38 07/18/04 Sun
In reply to:
Dan
's message, "Be happy you have a soap-box to stand on…" on 04:39:39 07/18/04 Sun
Military dentistry--and medicine--are another issue. I was in the U.S. military from 1969 thru 1975, including a year of Vietnam combat duty. I had had braces as a teenager, but had never had a cavity before I entered the military. You guessed 'er, Chester, I got my first cavities/fillings in the military. As I remember it, dental check-ups were yearly. My new dentist was a Navy dentist after graduating from the Univ of Michigan dental school. He is very thorough and communicates well.
In the military I was blood typed as Rh positive and this went on my dog tags. I knew I was Rh negative since I had donated blood at the Red Cross and had been previously typed. Since I was in boot camp, they didn't listen to me, but I eventually was able to get retyped and the correction was made.
For civilians, granted, the choices are more extensive, but if a dentist whom you trust does not communicate what is going on, it doesn't matter that you have 100s of docs to choose from, because as far as you know, everything is okay.
Why get a second opinion, or change dentists, when as far as you know, everything is fine. Too late you discover that the dentist was not proactive in saving a tooth, even though you had your teeth cleaned regularly and had check-ups every 6 months.
I retired last year after serving 22 years in the
>Army. The services are real particular about making
>dental readiness a priority. Allow me to elaborate on
>the definition “dental readiness”. The priority of
>the Armed Services is to ensure that a soldier can
>fight the enemy without concern tat a soldier will
>have dental problems. How do they accomplish this?
>Everyone is required to go to the dentist YEARLY. Due
>to the shortage of dentists in the military, one
>dentist may see 100s of patients a week. You may go
>for follow-up treatment and see a different dentist
>each time. A lot of times, fixing a problem means
>eliminating it. It is easier and more practical to
>extract than repair. I have had to visit the dentist
>in combat zones like Kuwait and Afghanistan and
>believe me, their least concerned about you comfort or
>their people skills.
>
>I was ecstatic once I retired and had a choice of
>civilian dentists! I also had to wait and get my
>orthodontic treatment after retirement because the
>military will not treat ortho problems unless it is a
>health issue like jaw realignment which requires
>braces first. I submit, if you are not pleased with
>your dentist…there are hundreds to choose from, use
>the choice you have and go to one who will treat you
>the way you feel you should be treated.
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