U.S Army Dental Corps

When I joined the National Guard to help pay for my undergraduate degree, I hadn’t made any definite plans to pursue an Army career. That decision evolved later on.

As a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Dental Corps, one of the things I have enjoyed is the diversity of career opportunities available in the Army.  In private practice you have options to work in several different settings - group practice, solo practice, associate, partner, managed dental company, education, etc...  But, if you want to change from one of these to another it requires you to relocate, affects your salary or requires a financial investment from you into your new venture.  In the Army we have many of the same options, but changing from one type to another does not affect us financially. 

U.S. Army Dental Corps Soldiers have opportunities to work in education, research, administration, policy, group practice, and dental professional leadership.  We can be assigned in almost any region of the United States as well as many locations overseas.  Dental Corps Soldiers can specialize in all the traditional specialties and can change between different career tracks (clinical vs. education vs. leadership).

Because of the diversity of our patients and the ever changing patient population, we have a chance to see some pretty interesting cases and to do some pretty cool procedures.

Half joking I tell people that the military is perfect for someone having a mid-life crisis.  If you have felt that your life or career is getting stagnant, there are always new opportunities for you within the Army.  Ultimately U.S. Dental Corps Soldiers get to help the men and women who serve our nation.

You can get more information at GoArmy.com or Army Strong Stories, the U.S. Army’s premier Soldier Blog.

Lieutenant Colonel Kendall Mower is a dentist in the U.S. Army Dental Corps, currently based in Ft. Myer, Va. LTC Mower is a frequent contributor to Army Strong Stories where he blogs about Soldier life and his career in the U.S. Army Dental Corps. More from LTC Mower on Army Strong Stories.

Jamaica Humanitarian Dental Mission Trip 2013

"Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life and not something you do in your spare time" - Marian Edelman

I had the wonderful opportunity to serve some of the under-served communities in my home country, Jamaica last summer. A group of 6 individuals from my school, Howard University teamed up with individuals from Southern Illinois University to deliver dental care to some remote areas in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Our team included not only dental students, but dental hygienists, pharmacy students and dentists.

We provided care for individuals in the town of Flankers, Cambridge and Kew Park, all located in the Parish of St. James (city: Montego Bay). Our trip lasted approximately 7 days and was filled with lots of hard work, fun, sun, beach, great weather and laughter!

Enjoy a few snapshots of the trip below:

The beautiful Island of Jamaica along with flag

The Howard University Team

                         

Extractions, and more extractions!         

Hard at work: Scaling and Root Planing

Working on the last case of the day with a quick photo-op

                             

                                  Me with one of my very happy patients                                         

Hanging with the kiddies during lunch break

                              

After work hanging out with the wood carvers across the street

                            

Refreshments after work RED STRIPE BEER!

                              

Out to dinner

                              

Night on the town in Ironshore, Montego Bay

                              

Red Stripe beer for the win! After work refreshments

                                          

Sun and sand, of course!

                               

Fun in the sun, backflips!

                              

                                Jamaica: beautiful people, sand and beach                                         

Enjoy this slideshow of the Mission Trip. I hope to do it again in 2014!

More Loupes Options

I was contacted to introduce these new and affordable loupes from the company Optiloupe.

Optiloupe is based in the UK and is a company that was started by two dentists who found it important to offer an affordable set of loupes that would improve the quality of work.

 More on Optiloupe:

• We were established by a team of qualified dentists and dental lecturers to provide high quality optics but at more affordable prices - our premium packages meet the standards of our best competitors but cost half as much!
• We provide tailored solutions based on research and first-hand understanding of what our clients need from their equipment.
• We offer a further £100 discount for students and VTs. 
• We are incorporated into the syllabus of several leading universities around the country where we deliver training on posture, ergonomics and magnification and the students have free use of our loupes during these sessions.
• We have experience catering for dentists, students and hygienists as well as plastic, vascular and cardiac surgeons.

You may contact them at: info@optiloupe.co.uk

See more posts on Loupes below:
In the Loupe Pt 1
In the Loupe Pt 2
Zoom Optix
My Loupes

Been Looking Forward to 2014 Since 2010!

Happy New Year!!

It is finally 2014 and I could not be any more excited!!! 2014 marks the year that my dental school career/tenure will come to an end. I will finally accomplish my dream/goal of becoming a dentist and life will finally begin. Quite frankly, I've been looking forward to 2014 since 2010!

Looking back at 2013, what I can say is that it has been a year of growth, growing pains, accomplishment and new beginnings. I have learned a great deal, not only about dentistry but about life. It has been a very busy and taxing year (evidence is my lack of blog posts) but I am grateful for all the lessons learned.

Over the next couple weeks I'll do my best to fill in the latter part of 2013 on the blog. Stay tuned and ONWARD to 2014!

After Earning a Four Year Undergrad Degree...

A Guest Post:
After earning a four year undergrad degree, most recent graduates move onto the real world with their biggest concern to be finding a job. You on the other hand, have more years of studying, research and all-nighters ahead for dental school. Before even applying to dental school, there are many action items that you can cross off your list to ensure you end up at the right school that will help you succeed the most.


Narrow Your Choices
Interviewing and applying for dental school starts way before graduation. Because you are still in school and have to commit to your studies as well, it is important to focus your time on one or two dental schools. Applying to multiple dental schools will not only be very time consuming with applications and interviews, but also gets expensive as well.

Make Connections
We've all heard the saying "It takes someone to know someone", and that saying isn't too far from the truth. As you apply to schools, start networking and reaching out to other potential dental students and professors. This not only will help you feel more comfortable with staff and students when you start school, but may also help you get your foot in the door to other opportunities as a dental student. Networking also shows that you are dedicated to this industry and are eager to start your career.

Show Me The Money
Dental school is one pretty penny, especially if you have undergrad to pay for as well. When researching prospective dental schools, look for scholarships(http://www.campusleader.com/scholarships) or schools that will fit within your budget.  If you plan on moving away for dental school, remember where to save on other expenses. For example, reach out to other students and find a roommate to cut down on the expense of living.

Smile
After all, you are going to school to help improve someone's dental health and smile. So show off those pearly whites! Above all, find a dental school that genuinely makes you happy. Finding a school that best fits your comfort and learning style is most important. Although you have a few tough years ahead, it will all be worth it in the end when you can add DDS or DMD to your name.

Kristen Bradley is a writer for CampusLeader.com (www.campusleader.com), a leading online resource and community for all college students.

Reasons to Date a Dentist

By eHarmony Staff

You might have seen this eHarmony article floating around the web, making it's way into your facebook news feed or being re-tweeted on twitter. It's a compilation of 15 reasons to date someone is the #1 most awesome profession!

Here are the reasons:

If your cute-and-single dentist asks you out for dinner next Friday, say yes. Floss before you go. Why?

1. Sweet kisses. Expect impeccable dental hygiene and fresh breath.
2. Dentists are smart. Smart is sexy
3. Your parents will be impressed.
4. Not that money is everything…but most dentists make a great living.
5. Dentists work consistent, family-friendly hours. Unlike others in the medical field, most dentists have their evenings free.
6. Obvious perk: free checkups and immediate access to emergency dental work.
7. You’ll never be scared to visit the dentist again.
8. Because they often deal with anxiety-ridden patients, dentists are patient, reassuring and gentle.
9. Your significant other will look forward to date night. After a long day of talking to people with their mouths stuck wide open, chatting with someone who can move their jaw is a nice change of pace.
10. Dentistry is a noble profession: your date alleviates discomfort and make people’s lives better.
11. For the more ”adult-minded,” there are plenty of “drill” jokes to reference.
12. After spending the day in scrubs, your dentist date will “scrub up” well.
13. Not sure which toothpaste to buy? Your partner can help you make that decision, or even supply a free tube or two.
14. Dentists aren’t easily grossed out. After spending the day staring at infected gums and hygiene disasters, nothing you bring to the relationship health-wise will faze your date.
15. Dentists wash their hands – well. If you’re a germaphobe, a dentist is your dream date.

Some of these are atually true so ladies and gents, you may be someone's latest catch because of this article. Still can't believe this is serious advice. Is it?

Orginial Article: eHarmony Advice 

Oral Cancer Awareness!

It's April! and in the dent-world it is known to be Oral Cancer Awareness Month. Though oral cancer screenings are usually typically done during a routine dental visit/check-up, this is the month that the Oral Cancer Foundation (OCF) has dedicated to creating awareness of the prevalence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

The Facts:
Did you know that head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is among the top ten most fatal cancers in in the US? It is estimated that close to 37,000 Americans will be diagnosed with Oral Cancer this year which will result in approximately 8000 deaths, killing roughly 1 person per hour!  It has a 5 year survival rate of 75% percent if caught early and a mere 20% if it goes undetected. The major risk factor is smoking and tobacco use. However, more and more cases have been found linked to the HPV virus. Needless to say, dentists are at the front line of defense when it comes to oral cancer, which is why the OCF is urging dentists to screen every patient and organize various events to create awareness of this deadly disease.

Recently at my school, the Student National Dental Association (SNDA) of which I am the president, conducted our annual Oral Cancer Walk. This walkathon is in line with the mission of the OCF,which is to create awareness of the incidence and prevalence of the disease as well as organize a screening event to have patients screened for the disease. A brief lecture was given to first and second year dental students on what oral cancer is, it's prevalence, incidence, mortality rate, etc., followed by live demonstrations. Patients were simultaneously being screened for oral cancer by third and fourth year dental students. After all the hard work, we took to the streets of Washington DC to create awareness.

A small group of students from Howard University College of Dentistry
creating awareness of oral cancer in Dupont Circle, Washington DC

Encourage your friends and family to get Screened! Stay away from cigarettes, tobacco and the HPV Virus!

Sources: ADA
              OCF
              Dental Practice