Photo By 1st Lt. Jonathan Padish | U.S. service members perform dental services at a temporary clinic in the Miner...... read more read more
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SIKESTON, Mo. (June 20, 2019) — A joint contingent of U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy dentists and dental technicians deployed to Sikeston to train and provide no-cost dental services to the community as part of Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corporation Tri-State Innovative Readiness Training 2019.
The joint team, comprised of active duty and Air National Guard Airmen and Navy Reserve Sailors, is scheduled to operate the clinic through June 22.
The Airmen and Sailors, who have been providing dental services to patients since June 14, have seen hundreds of patients and performed nearly a thousand procedures.
“We are providing treatment to local civilians,” said U.S. Navy Reserve Lt. Cmdr. Alison Stawicki, the DAEOC Tri-State IRT 2019 Sikeston site dental officer in charge and a dental and training officer assigned to Detachment W, Navy Operational Support Center Saginaw, Expeditionary Medical Facility Great Lakes. “Treatment includes extractions, cleanings, fillings and exams.”
Although the dental team is focused on patient health, the overall goal goes much deeper than cleanings and other procedures.
“We are mainly focusing on patient health with an emphasis on getting them out of pain,” said Stawicki. “We are also engaging in patient education on proper oral hygiene and nutritional counseling.”
The joint nature of the IRT mission has provided opportunities for Airmen and Sailors to collaborate and work toward common goals.
“Working with the other services has been extremely rewarding,” said Stawicki. “Seeing how other services run things and putting our heads together has allowed us to come up with the process for a successful operation.”
Fellow service members agreed with Stawicki’s sentiments.
“It’s rewarding because we get to share expertise with each other,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Eddie Perez, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the dental mission for DAEOC Tri-State IRT 20219 and a dental technician assigned to the 176th Wing, Alaska Air National Guard.
Despite wearing different uniforms, the service members were appreciative of each other.
“This is my first time working with the Air Force,” said U.S. Navy Reserve Petty Officer 2nd Class Evan Johnson, the DAEOC Tri-State IRT 2019 Sikeston site dental noncommissioned officer in charge and a hospital corpsman assigned to Detachment L, Navy Operational Support Center Chicago, Expeditionary Medical Facility Great Lakes. “Every dentist and technician we’ve met has been dialed in. You learn different techniques from different dentists and technicians.”
Aside from the training aspect of the mission, the service members have appreciated the community engagement aspect of DAEOC Tri-State IRT 2019.
“IRT means giving back to a community in need as well as training opportunities in a joint environment,” said Stawicki. “The community has responded very positively to us. Each day we have return visitors who are appreciative of the care we give them. We appreciate the opportunity to take care of them.”
The experience has been one the service members will not forget.
“It’s incredible here,” said Johnson. “We’ve had some people come back four or five times for services. They get out of pain, and we get to help the community. It’s been a humbling experience.”
Despite long lines and countless hours of work well beyond that of a typical duty day, the service members are willing and able to provide care to patients while improving their military dental experience.
“We’re changing lives one tooth at a time,” said Johnson.
DAEOC Tri-State IRT 2019 is a joint service medical exercise that provides real-world training to service members and dental, medical and optometry services to members of the community.
| Date Taken: | 06.20.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 06.20.2019 22:04 |
| Story ID: | 328581 |
| Location: | SIKESTON, MISSOURI, US |
| Web Views: | 159 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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