Goodfellow Dental Clinic recognizes assistants Published March 9, 2010 By Airman 1st Class Anne Gathua 17th Training Wing/Public Affairs GOODFELLOW AFB, Texas -- From patient care to office and laboratory duties, dental assistants work alongside dentists to provide the best care for patients. An integral part of the Goodfellow dental team, they apply their skills and training to make your visit to the dentist productive, safe and as pleasant as possible. This week is Dental Assistants Recognition Week, set aside to recognize their unique and diverse contributions to the dental profession and the dental health care of the public. It's a week-long tribute to the commitment and dedication dental assistants exhibit throughout the year. The theme for this year is 'One Team, One Goal: Improving Oral Health' "I believe we have some of the most versatile and multitalented dental assistants serving in the Air Force," said Capt. Eric Johnson, 17th Medical Operations Squadron. "Our team of assistants does an outstanding job in enhancing the delivery of quality dental health care at the dental clinic. Staff Sgt. Karen Nelson, 17 MDOS, noncommissioned officer in charge, said dental patient care operation requires a high range of flexibility and personal management and dental assistants contribute greatly to a healthy fit and fighting force. "Dental assistants have a thorough knowledge of dental anatomy, pathology, dental ethics, instruments, materials, equipment, administrative functions, chairside assisting and emergency procedures," said Sergeant Nelson. "They are on the 'front lines' of dental care and they encompass everything they have learned at technical school in addition to their on the job training to ensure all facets of patient treatment care run efficiently and proficiently." Their duties range from preparing patients for treatment, sterilizing and disinfecting instruments and equipment, preparing and laying out the instruments and materials required to treat each patient to instructing patients on postoperative and general oral healthcare. They also perform dental x-rays, make casts of the teeth and mouth from impressions, clean and polish removable appliances and schedule and confirm appointments. "Without dental assistants, patients would not be treated consistently or efficiently," Captain Johnson said. "We call this 'four-handed dentistry'. In other words, it takes four hands (dentist and assistant) to complete treatment while making the patient comfortable." Sergeant Nelson said hard work, striving for excellence through team work and a proper flow of communication helps the dental team work well together and ensures folks stay informed of the tasks ahead. Any weak areas are also identified and addressed to ensure everything stays on track and that patients are taken care of, ensuring our servicemembers are dentally world-wide deployable. Asked what they loved most about their jobs, this is what the dental assistants had to say: Senior Airman Jennifer Marie Romine, a prophylaxis technician loves helping people get better. She also enjoys interacting with patients and educating them on how their dental health directly affects their deployment status and how vital it is to brush their teeth and floss daily. Senior Airman Sarah Sickler said it's rewarding to see the after results of cleaning a really dirty mouth and urges patients to at least brush their teeth before coming for an appointment. Senior Airman Evelyn Sanchez-Jalomo loves her job because she never gets bored since there is always something different for her to do every day. Airman 1st Class Charity Spearman who works at the front desk scheduling patients and helping students out process also makes sure the technicians have the instruments they need for each procedure. She loves the relaxed environment. Airman 1st Class Tiffany Wilson loves keeping military personnel deployment ready and patient smiles beautiful. Airman 1st Class Geofrey Fortier loves seeing his patients outside of work and knowing he did something to help them. "When you visit the dental clinic, your first and last contact is probably the dental assistant at the front desk or at chairside with the dentist," Captain Johnson stated. "Next time you come to the clinic, acknowledge their contribution to improving Goodfellow's oral health, helping us accomplish our overall Air Force mission." Dental Tips: 1) Maintain proper oral health and ensure your family is taken care of too. 2) Ensure great home oral care by watching the number of times per day your teeth are exposed to sugars. 3) Complete multiple brushings per day and floss daily. 4) Keep your appointments. 5) If you think you have a dental need, call (325)-654-3050 to make an appointment to get it evaluated. The dental team is here to help. .
