Presidio of Monterey Dental Clinic: Pioneering Digital Dentistry for Mission Readiness
As a vanguard of digital dentistry, the Presidio of Monterey Dental Clinic plays a crucial role in ensuring the readiness of warfighters through the judicious application of advanced dental technology.
Dr. (Maj.) Dustin Davis, the clinic’s officer in charge, has dedicated eight years to serving as an Army dentist, working in various dental facilities throughout the Army. He asserts that the PoM clinic ranks among the most technologically sophisticated he has encountered.
“Digital dentistry signifies the future of oral health. With this innovative technology, a crown replacement can be accomplished within a single day, a process that typically requires eight to ten weeks in conventional dental settings,” Davis commented.
The traditional approach for crafting a crown necessitates an impression of the patient’s mouth using a cumbersome, uncomfortable material, followed by shipping the hardened mold to Fort Gordon, Georgia, and subsequently awaiting the delivery of the new crown.
“These temporary crowns often endure for only one to two weeks before they detach,” Davis explained. “If service members face a ten-week wait for a permanent crown, they are compelled to visit sick call multiple times.”
Frequent sick call visits signify that service members are not only missing critical training time to replace their crowns but could also be coping with the discomfort of missing teeth. Such situations can detrimentally affect both their training and overall quality of life.
The digital transition at the PoM Dental Clinic entailed considerable training and adaptation for clinic personnel. Embracing digital dentistry necessitated extensive on-the-job training for the clinic’s dental technicians, transitioning from the traditional method of mending molds to utilizing cutting-edge manufacturing technology.
“I believe our clinic stands unparalleled in the Army. The Army excels in equipping us with the technology essential for delivering optimal and secure care to our service members. I have yet to witness a fully digital clinic within the Army,” Davis stated.
“The metamorphosis to digital dentistry at PoM owes much to Dr. Michael Kroll, an Army digital expert and the previous officer in charge of the clinic.”
Kroll initiated the clinic’s transformation from conventional practices to a completely digital approach several years ago. This shift meant that PoM dental technicians, who had mastered traditional methods, needed to embrace novel techniques.
“The change was somewhat daunting,” remarked Erica Flores, a registered dental assistant at the PoM clinic. “Having only been familiar with our previous methods, we had to place our trust in the new system and abandon established practices to adapt to an innovative approach for care delivery.”
This incorporation of advanced technology extended to the sterilization of dental instruments and tools.
“The level of safety implemented here for our service members exceeds standards that are typically observed in private practices,” Davis noted.
“While most dental clinics utilize a single room for sterilization processes, we employ distinct dirty and clean rooms with a thorough pass-through cleaning system, performing several tests to confirm sterilization.”
Davis elaborated on additional safety measures, including using temperature-sensitive tape on instruments to verify sufficient heat during cleaning, employing filtered water to wash tools to eliminate impurities, and meticulously recording each sterilization process in a logbook.
From computer-aided manufacturing to comprehensive sterilization protocols, the PoM Dental Clinic integrates contemporary technology at all levels, ensuring that service members stationed at the Presidio of Monterey remain healthy and mission-ready efficiently.
Source link: Dvidshub.net.
