CHAPTER 12 - SHIPBOARD, FLEET MARINE FORCE, AND NAVAL MOBILE CONSTRUCTION

BATTALION DENTISTRY

Dental Technicians who serve on board dental departments of ships, Fleet Marine Force, or Naval Mobile Construction Battalions are assigned to such duties that are indicated by their special qualifications and by current requirements for rendering dental care. These special qualifications are discussed in this volume, chapter 1, "General Administration and Orientation," and in MANMED, chapter 6.

The mission of a dental department on board Navy ships is to provide care to active duty personnel to prevent or remedy diseases, disabilities, and injuries to teeth, jaws, and related structures. The dental officer (department head) consults with and advises the commanding officer in all matters affecting the dental health of the crew. To accomplish this mission, dental personnel must keep themselves informed of planned operations and anticipate any possible demands placed upon them. The Navy must maintain the highest degree of dental health and readiness for fleet personnel. An aggressive Dental Liaison Program, through the combined efforts of the Dental Department, Naval Dental Centers, and independent duty Hospital Corpsmen, is a necessity.

The actual performance of dentistry and dental assisting on board ships is similar to that of shore-based dental treatment facilities. The same equipment, materials, supplies, and techniques discussed in this volume and Dental Technician,

Volume 2, NAVEDTRA 12573, will provide guidance for you in your duties.

FLEET AND FORCE DENTAL OFFICERS

The fleet and force dental officers ensure that the fleet is dental ready. Each individual aboard ship is considered to be in the state of dental readiness if the following requirements are met:

No dental treatment or reevaluation will be needed within the next 12 months (Class 1)

No oral condition that, if not treated, would have the potential to become an emergency within the next 12 months (Class 2)

An individual who has an oral condition that may result in an emergency condition within the next 12 months (Class 3), or a person who needs a dental exam or has oral conditions that are unknown (Class 4), is considered likely to compromise combat effectiveness or deployability by experiencing a dental emergency. (See Dental Technician, Volume 2, chapter 2, for further details on classification of dental treatment.)

Fleet Dental Officer

Two senior dental officers are appointed as the Fleet Dental Officers. The fleet is broken down into the Atlantic and Pacific regions. The title held for each Fleet Dental Officer is CINCLANTFLT and CINCPACFLT Dental Officer (Commander-in-Chief Atlantic or Pacific Fleet). They have the ultimate authority, responsibility, and accountability for dental care provided to each fleet.

Force Dental Officer

Six senior dental officers are appointed as force dental officers. The force dental officer is the advisor to the type commander on all force dental matters. Each force dental officer:

Keeps informed of all matters pertaining to dental services, dental personnel, and dental material condition of the force by means of inspections, assist visits, and the review of dental service and inspection reports.

The force dental officer ensures all ships or submarines assigned to a specific type commander are dental ready. This state of dental readiness is achieved by ships with dental departments and the use of shore-based dental clinic facilities. The ships or submarines that are in port use the Fleet Liaison Program to schedule appointments.

The force is broken down into the Atlantic and Pacific regions. Within each force is the type commander to whom each Force Dental Officer reports. An example of this is the SURFLANTFLT Force Dental Officer who would report directly to the Atlantic Fleet Type Commander. The six force dental officers are as follows:

SURFLANT/SURFPAC (Atlantic Fleet/ Pacific Fleet)\Responsible for all ships that are not fixed winged or submarine connected.

AIRLANTIAIRPAC (Air Atlantic/Air Pacific)\Responsible for all ships that have fixed wing capabilities (i.e., aircraft carriers).

SUBLANT/SUBPAC (Submarine Atlantic/ Submarine Pacific)\ Responsible for all submarines and auxiliary support ships (submarine tenders).