BREMERTON, Wash.— Dentists and hospital corpsmen at Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Bremerton gathered Aug. 20 to celebrate the 114th birthday of the U.S. Navy Dental Corps.
While the official anniversary falls on Aug.22, the clinic marked the occasion early, taking time between patient care to reflect on more than a century of ensuring the oral health and operational readiness of Sailors and Marines.
Established by an act of Congress on Aug.22, 1912, the Dental Corps began with a small contingent of 30 acting assistant dental surgeons.
Today, the corps consists of hundreds of active-duty and reserve dental officers who deploy globally on ships, with Marine expeditionary units, and at shore-based clinics.
At NMRTC Bremerton, the symbiotic relationship between dentists and hospital corpsmen serves as the foundation of the clinic’s success. Dental technicians assist in everything from routine exams and X-rays to complex oral surgeries, ensuring providers can work efficiently to keep the fleet medically ready.
“Dental readiness is a critical component of overall warfighter lethality,” said Cmdr. Diane Vo, NMRTC Bremerton dental department head, during the celebration. “Our dentists and hospital corpsmen work side by side every day to ensure our warfighters are healthy and deployable.”
The celebration concluded with a traditional cake-cutting ceremony, honoring the youngest and oldest Dental Corps officers present — a time-honored naval tradition that bridges the rich history and the bright future of the corps.