Photo By Michelle Stewart | The 628th Medical Group’s Operational Medical Readiness Squadron dentist and Joint...... read more read more
When Military Working Dog Hhector, assigned to the 628th Security Forces Squadron at Joint Base Charleston, suffered a critical dental injury, the mission impact could have been significant. Hhector supports many critical operations, including global deployments, so his health and readiness are paramount.
A collaborative effort between the 628th Medical Group’s Operational Medical Readiness Squadron dentists and Joint Base Charleston’s veterinary team came together to provide an emergency root canal procedure on Hhector’s last remaining canine tooth, April 4. Without this quick and innovative response, Hhector would have required a referral to a specialized veterinary endodontist more than 100 miles away, delaying care by at least two weeks and resulting in a 200-mile round trip. “Air Force dentistry is a critical component for the readiness of the human weapon system,” said Air Force Maj. Kristina Shute, 628 OMRS Dental Flight commander. “While our focus is aimed at treating dental disease, canine endodontics is not a typical practice for general dentistry.”
The team researched the actions to support the working dog’s needs.
“To prepare for this unique scenario, we collaborated with the Army Veterinary Readiness Activity on JB Charleston and consulted colleagues who have completed root canals on military working dogs,” said Air Force Capt. Jake Laxer, 628 OMRS Dental Support Element chief. “Using experience in our respective fields, we were able to perform and complete the procedure, expediting mission readiness.”
If care had been delayed, Hhector would have been unable to perform his duties, adding strain on the remaining military working dogs to cover operational needs.
Instead, the team was able to assemble and complete the procedure just two days after the injury. Their successful intervention allowed Hhector to return to full duty nearly a month sooner than expected. Most importantly, the operation preserved Hhector’s ability to support base security operations.
“The men and woman of the 628 MDG are committed to providing our patients with outstanding care and supporting our two- and four-legged warfighters,” said Air Force Col. Richard Kipp , 628th MDG commander. “Our dental team is acutely aware of their critical readiness mission, and partnering with our Army veterinarian to keep Hhector in the fight is an example of what my team does every day: collaborate to deliver medical readiness. Working dogs like Hhector are critical to securing the base and supporting operations abroad. We needed him back in the fight ASAP!”
Thanks to the seamless collaboration between dental and veterinary teams, Joint Base Charleston safeguarded the health of a valued four-legged service member and ensured uninterrupted mission capability across multiple domains.
| Date Taken: | 04.04.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.21.2025 09:04 |
| Story ID: | 495738 |
| Location: | CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 68 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Quick response saves the bite: Joint Base Charleston dental, veterinary teams restore mission readiness for military working dog, by Michelle Stewart, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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