Ask Lt. Jacob Bart Parker, Dental Corps officer assigned to NMRTU Bangor just how important dental readiness is to overall fleet operational readiness and he will promptly affirm that need.
“Dental readiness is a key pillar of the overall readiness of the Navy. Having a healthy mouth is crucial to doing your job. That fact is confirmed by anyone who’s tried to work while having a toothache. Naval Base Kitsap’s large submariner population makes the our job even more important. It’s a bad day in the Navy if a submarine needs surface for a dental infection,” exclaimed Parker, from Tacoma, Washington.
For Parker, the most gratifying aspect of his dental duty is knowing he is improving the health of his patient population.
“I entered this field because I wanted to help my patients feel better about their oral health. Whether that be addressing a toothache or addressing an insecurity about their smile, dentistry allows me to feel like I’m making a difference in someone’s life,” explained Parker, noting that dentistry is a challenging vocation.
“It is a profession that you use both your mind and your hands on a day-to-day basis,” said Parker. “Being able to take a diseased tooth and restore it back to health and function is difficult. Every day is a learning experience.”
When asked to sum up his Navy experience, Parker replied, “It has been culturally enlightening. The Navy has allowed me to travel around the world and live in places that I would have never thought I would live. On top of that, the personnel that the Navy recruits are very diverse. People I have gotten to interact and work with come from many different backgrounds. This has given me an invaluable perspective that I will carry with me for the rest of my life
| Date Taken: | 08.22.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 08.22.2023 14:12 |
| Photo ID: | 7984576 |
| VIRIN: | 230822-N-HU933-1006 |
| Resolution: | 1280x720 |
| Size: | 258.06 KB |
| Location: | BREMERTON, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 5 |
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