Open wide, say Ahhh: AMDS turns frowns into smiles

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jessica Lockoski
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  What happens when that big chunk of breakfast is wedged between your teeth and you can't seem to get it out, or when something doesn't feel right behind those enamels?

It seems as though, it would be a good time to schedule an appointment with the base dental clinic.

On the left side of the clinic, green scrubs of 22nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron dental Airmen and civilian personnel wisp around the hallways taking care of patients' dental needs. On average, 869 patients filter through the dental clinic each month seeking treatment for an average of 1,643 procedures.

"We have a great crew who work hard to provide the best professional care possible, in a place most people dread coming to," said Tech. Sgt. Dennis Sunderland, 22nd AMDS.

The clinic offers services to people that general off-base dentistry will offer. Services range from fillings, crowns, root canals and yearly refreshing check-ups to more specific forms of surgery, endodontics, and orthodontics. Other specialty procedures can be referred off-base to the public dentistry using the Military Medical Support Office referral agency.

The overall mission of the Aerospace Medicine Squadron is to promote and confirm optimal medical readiness of Team McConnell's flying, operational, and deployed personnel by providing superior preventative and operational medicinal services, anytime, anywhere.

The dental clinic exceed their Air Force goal of keeping 60 percent of active duty members in a "Class 1" readiness status, keeping them without a need to have dental work done until their next exam. Combining this with "Class 2" readiness status keeps Airmen on a world wide deployable position by making sure no emergency work is needed within the next 12 months of their visit. Currently, they exceed this goal of 95 percent.

"I have been in the dental industry for 28 years," said Tracy Davis, retired master sergeant and civilian contractor at the dental clinic. "Taking care of the people is why I stay in the career field. We take care of people so they can take care of the mission.

"It is also about taking the extra step in customer service," said Mr. Davis. We provide this with the best dental equipment and materials available," he said.