Photo By Tech. Sgt. Clayton Lenhardt | U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jennellyn Roberson, Task Force Liberty case management from...... read more read more
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Task Force Liberty’s case management team partnered up with the local community Sept. 22, 2021, to provide routine dental care for the first time to Afghans living in Liberty Village on Joint Base, McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.
“Today, we provided preventative care,” said Tech. Sgt. Radcliffe McDonald, a TF Liberty case management team member from the 514th Aerospace Medicine Squadron at JB MDL. “The education portion of it is very important so they can know going forward how to prevent some of these issues they have orally.”
The screening lets the dental team prepare for follow-up appointments with patients.
Devin Goodman, a local dentist who has served in his career field for the past 17 years, provided the screenings from a dental van.
“We can have the resources ready when they come to our site, so we can either refer them appropriately or be ready for treatment appropriately,” said Goodman. “It lets us know who’s urgent versus someone who could possibly wait.”
As McDonald received files for potential medical patients, he noted the ones with dental health concerns.
“I put everyone who needed some sort of dental care to the side and worked with my leadership to schedule this mobile dental van,” McDonald said.
“They reached out to our mobile health unit coordinator,” said Goodman. “They told her there was definitely a need for dental care as soon as possible.”
McDonald said it felt amazing to make life in Liberty Village “Better every day.”
“These guys are extremely appreciative of what’s going on here,” said McDonald. “Just to see the smiles on their face when they get out of that van, it just lets me know how good of a job we’re doing here, and this is only the beginning.”
Capt. Larissa Niewdach-Ebron, TF Liberty case management officer in charge from the 514th Aeromedical Staging Squadron, confirmed the dental service will return.
“We can offer this service weekly,” said Niewdach-Ebron. “This will be awesome for the community.”
Niewdach-Ebron called the day a success.
“It was better than we could have imagined,” said Niewdach-Ebron. “With word of mouth, people will find out what we’re doing here and want to come. Next time we’ll have a bigger crowd.”
Niewdach-Ebron said she was overcome with joy to be a part of the task force.
“This is an amazing experience and opportunity,” said Niewdach-Ebron. “I’m just so grateful to be here.”
Goodman echoed her sentiments on helping the Afghan residents of Liberty Village.
“It’s a blessing that I have the opportunity to do this. To make them whole again, to get them out of pain, so they can function, so they can be pain free, just smile again. It’s an awesome experience. I’m humbled to be able to be a part of this,” said Goodman. “Everybody deserves good healthcare.”
| Date Taken: | 10.17.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 10.17.2021 10:48 |
| Story ID: | 407416 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NEW JERSEY, US |
| Web Views: | 432 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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