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MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. - For many people, having a nice smile is very important. It can boost confidence, present a professional personal appearance and bring one’s quality of life up drastically. With that being said, it can also take a lot of work to keep a smile at its best.
Luckily, for brand new and experienced Airmen alike, the Air Force provides some of the best dental care in the world.
At Malmstrom, one-on-one care is provided for every service member.
“We cover everything that is required for readiness,” said Maj. Clay Jensen, 341st Medical Operations Squadron chief of dental services. “We take care of cleanings; if you need additional or deep cleanings we have a hygienist. We also take care of root canals, fillings, wisdom teeth removal and many others.”
In addition to helping service men and women keep up with their oral hygiene requirements, keeping them ready to deploy at a moment’s notice is critical.
“We also want to make sure that members won’t have to worry about running into any problems if they get deployed down range,” said Jensen.
When it comes to finances, the ability of an Airman to utilize a facility where service is provided at no charge offers a huge benefit when compared to the civilian world.
Routinely, teeth fillings can cost a patient hundreds of dollars, while bigger procedures can set wallets back a couple thousand.
“A typical exam with a cleaning and X-rays can cost around $281, according to the national average,” said Jensen. “A single filling is running about $150 through $200 and a single root canal can run anywhere from $1,200 to $1,500 with a $1,000 crown.
“And a wisdom teeth procedure with sedation will run about $2,500,” he continued.
According to Jensen, as soon as they join, a lot of Airmen receive about $3,000 -$4,000 in dental benefits alone.
Last year, the clinic saw 12,200 patients and completed nearly 31,000 procedures, resulting in a 98 percent dental readiness rate.
“I just love helping people,” said Jensen. “For me, it’s more about service than anything.
“I can’t tell you how great if feels when we get (thank you notes) or a pat on the back,” he said.
Individuals who may need dental care are strongly encouraged to contact the Malmstrom dental clinic and schedule an appointment.
For appointments, the dental clinic can be reached at 731-2846. For additional information, the 341st Medical Group can be reached at 731-4633.
| Date Taken: | 07.15.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 07.15.2015 17:50 |
| Story ID: | 170132 |
| Location: | MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, MT, US |
| Hometown: | GREAT FALLS, MT, US |
| Web Views: | 18 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Keeping those pearly whites healthy, by Amn Collin Schmidt, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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