Photo By Douglas Stutz | Standing ready to serve...members of Naval Hospital Bremerton's (NHB) Branch Health...... read more read more
Naval Hospital Bremerton (NHB) recognized the many contributions of the Navy Dental Corps staff on August 22, 2017, celebrating the 105th anniversary of providing dental treatment to Sailors and Marines.
“I extend my sincere thanks to our Dental Corps, and our hospital corpsman and civilian staff of our Dental Department. It is important to celebrate our heritage with an event like this, which is integral to understanding our lineage and where we are today in Navy Medicine. It’s great to recognize the rich history and heritage of the Navy Dental Corps and their selfless dedication to our Navy and Marine Corps team,” said Capt. Jeffrey Bitterman, NHB Commanding Officer, addressing assembled staff at Branch Health Clinic Bangor.
The Dental Corps was established in 1912, two years before the outbreak of World War One and five years before the U.S. involvement in the war in 1917.
Rear Admiral G.D. Shaffer, Chief, Navy Dental Corps, stated via message to all Dental Corps officers, ‘Our Corps has distinguished itself as one of professional competence and military excellence, serving in every major conflict since World War One. As we look back at our history, there are examples of bravery, innovation and perseverance by dental officers under very challenging conditions in peace and conflict, ashore and afloat.’
From the initial 30 acting assistant dental surgeons, there are now approximately 1,400 active duty and reserve dentists, fulfilling 15 specialties such as comprehensive dentistry, dental and biomedical research, dental public health, endodontics, forensic odontology, maxillofacial prosthetics, operative dentistry, oral and maxillofacial pathology, oral medicine and radiology, orofacial pain, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and prosthodontics.
Senior Dental Executive, Lt. Cmdr. Sarah Lawson read aloud the 105th birthday wishes from Vice Adm. C. Forrest Faison III, Navy Surgeon General and Chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, ‘throughout its proud history, the Dental Corps has distinguished itself in professionalism, unselfish dedication and readiness on behalf of all of our Sailors and Marines ashore and afloat. Your contributions to our nation and military medicine have been essential in laying the foundation of Navy Medicine that we know today.’
The primary responsibilities of Navy’s Dental Corps are to maintain high operational readiness and train for all contingencies. They routinely deploy with Marine expeditionary units and aboard ships, where they assume roles in triage and surgical support far beyond just their dental duties.
“It is that capability to become operational that truly sets Navy dentists apart from their civilian counterparts,” commented Bitterman.
That ability to forward deploy on ship and ashore continues to hold true today for the Navy Dental Corps just as it did 105 years ago.
| Date Taken: | 08.22.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 08.24.2017 13:04 |
| Story ID: | 245852 |
| Location: | BREMERTON , WA, US |
| Web Views: | 323 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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