ADHA Access January 2012 : Page 28

Serving My Country as a Civilian Hygienist By Rickie Trahan, RDH 96th Dental Squadron Eglin AFB, Florida I have the ultimate Being a civilian dental hygienist, I am an oral dream job as a dental hygienist working health care professional and a co-therapist with for the United States the dentists providing preventive, educational and Air Force! I gradu-therapeutic services. Being a civilian airman allows ated with a degree in dental hygiene me to be a part of the military family and support from Pensacola Junior my country as a dental hygienist. College in May 2004, with licensure from —Rickie Trahan, RDH Florida, and worked in private practice for three years. I decided ³¿WWR¿JKW´7KH$LU)RUFHWUDFNVUHDGLQHVV&#0f;EHFDXVHGHQWDO to move from private health drives medical health, which in turn drives readi-practice to work for the military in December 2007, when I ness and the military members’ ability to meet the mission. accepted a position as an RDH at the 96th Dental Squadron The military dental clinic monitors dental readiness through on Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. This opportunity presented DIRXU
SDUWFODVVL¿FDWLRQV\VWHPEDVHGRQDSDWLHQW¶VRUDO itself to me through a mutual friend of the Civilian Personnel health. The system is as follows: Class 1: the patient has Manager at Eglin. The decision to move into this nontradi-H[FHOOHQWGHQWDOKHDOWKDQGLV¿WWR¿JKW&ODVV&#1d;VRPHRUDO WLRQDOZRUNHQYLURQPHQWZDVWZRIROG&#1e;¿UVW&#0f;,DPDSURXG conditions are evident and need treatment; the patient is still daughter of a retired Air Force service member, and second, ¿WWR¿JKW&ODVV&#1d;DFRQGLWLRQH[LVWVWKDWUHTXLUHVLPPHGL -I wanted to give something back to my country and to the DWHWUHDWPHQW&#1e;WKHSDWLHQWLVQRORQJHU¿WWR¿JKW&ODVV&#1d; men and women who protect this great country. There are GHQWDOKHDOWKLVXQNQRZQDQGWKHSDWLHQWLVQRW¿WWR¿JKW PDQ\WKLQJV,ORYHDERXWP\MRE&#0f;WZRRIZKLFKDUH&#0f;¿UVW&#0f; The military members pay for this standard of care with their the men and women who volunteer to defend this country, \HDUVRIVHUYLFHDQGVDFUL¿FHWRRXUFRXQWU\ and second, the fact that I am a civilian Airman giving our There are several opportunities for a dental hygienist in service members the highest quality dental care. the government, which include the Bureau of Prisons and Eglin Air Force Base is responsible for the dental health the Public Health Service, or as a civil service employee or a of approximately 9,000 men and women assigned to this contractor for the Armed Forces. Some of the larger Air Force area; these military members are in the Army, Air Force, GHQWDOFOLQLFVKDYHD³FKLHIRISUHYHQWDWLYHGHQWLVWU\&#0f;´ZKLFK Coast Guard, Marines, Navy and Reserves. In comparison, is a supervisory position for a dental hygienist. There is also a civilian practice is generally smaller and treats both adults the opportunity to mentor active duty dental technicians as-and children. In a civilian practice, the general dentist will signed to this clinic. An additional opportunity for qualifying UHIHUVSHFLDOW\WUHDWPHQWVWRWKHDSSURSULDWHRI¿FHV&#0f;ZKHUHDV active duty airmen is the Dental Hygiene Training Scholarship in this large military clinic, there is no need to refer. My Program, which allows an airman to attend Trident Technical clinic has seven hygienists, 11 general dentists, eight dental College in South Carolina or St. Petersburg College in Florida residents, 60 assistants and administrative positions, and all in exchange for a service commitment. the dental specialties so that a military member can get their Being a civilian dental hygienist, I am an oral health care required annual exam and any necessary treatment com-professional and a co-therapist with the dentists providing pleted at one location. Proximity makes this ideal, because preventive, educational and therapeutic services. My role is an immediate consultation is possible at the patient’s annual the control of oral diseases and the promotion of oral health, exam. In addition, if a patient’s medical history reveals a and I feel that I enhance patient care and improve worldwide need to see their primary physician, the dentist can generate dental readiness. Being a civilian airman allows me to be a a medical referral within the military computer system. The part of the military family and support my country as a den-primary care physician will then see the patient to address tal hygienist. In this environment, I am encouraged to be the any medical concerns, and then forward the referring dentist best that I can be, and I have embraced the Air Force core WKHUHVXOWV7KLVLVDYHU\HI¿FLHQWV\VWHP&#0f;HVSHFLDOO\ZKHQD YDOXHV&#1d;³,QWHJULW\¿UVW&#0f;6HUYLFHEHIRUHVHOI&#0f;DQG([FHOOHQFHLQ patient has multiple dental needs or has a medical issue to DOO\RXGR´,IHHOWKDW&#0f;LQVRPHZD\&#0f;,DPVHUYLQJP\FRXQWU\ be resolved prior to dental treatment. These referrals allow a E\HQVXULQJWKDWDOORXUPLOLWDU\PHPEHUVDUH³¿WWR¿JKW´ patient to have an appointment within a couple of days, due This is why I love my job! to our access to care and the proximity of the dental clinic to If you are interested in learning more about my career, the hospital. contact me at rickie.trahan@eglin.af.mil. Both military and civilian dental clinics have similar Q goals for their respective patients: to prevent disease and to resolve any dental needs in the shortest amount of time possible. In the military clinic, all active duty members get DQDQQXDOGHQWDOH[DPWRGHWHUPLQHWKHLUGHQWDOFODVVL¿FD -tion. The purpose of this exam is to ensure that they are 28 JAN 2012 access

Working

Rickie Trahan, RDH

Serving My Country as a Civilian Hygienist 96th Dental Squadron Eglin AFB, Florida Being a civilian dental hygienist, I am an oral health care professional and a co-therapist with the dentists providing preventive, educational and therapeutic services. Being a civilian airman allows me to be a part of the military family and support my country as a dental hygienist. —Rickie Trahan, RDH I have the ultimate dream job as a dental hygienist working for the United States Air Force! I graduated with a degree in dental hygiene from Pensacola Junior College in May 2004, with licensure from Florida, and worked in private practice for three years. I decided to move from private practice to work for the military in December 2007, when I accepted a position as an RDH at the 96th Dental Squadron on Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. This opportunity presented itself to me through a mutual friend of the Civilian Personnel Manager at Eglin. The decision to move into this nontraditional work environment was twofold; first, I am a proud daughter of a retired Air Force service member, and second, I wanted to give something back to my country and to the men and women who protect this great country. There are Many things I love about my job, two of which are, first, the men and women who volunteer to defend this country, and second, the fact that I am a civilian Airman giving our service members the highest quality dental care. Eglin Air Force Base is responsible for the dental health of approximately 9,000 men and women assigned to this area; these military members are in the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy and Reserves. In comparison, a civilian practice is generally smaller and treats both adults and children. In a civilian practice, the general dentist will Refer specialty treatments to the appropriate offices, whereas in this large military clinic, there is no need to refer. My clinic has seven hygienists, 11 general dentists, eight dental residents, 60 assistants and administrative positions, and all the dental specialties so that a military member can get their required annual exam and any necessary treatment completed at one location. Proximity makes this ideal, because an immediate consultation is possible at the patient’s annual exam. In addition, if a patient’s medical history reveals a need to see their primary physician, the dentist can generate a medical referral within the military computer system. The primary care physician will then see the patient to address any medical concerns, and then forward the referring dentist The results. This is a very efficient system, especially when a patient has multiple dental needs or has a medical issue to be resolved prior to dental treatment. These referrals allow a patient to have an appointment within a couple of days, due to our access to care and the proximity of the dental clinic to the hospital. Both military and civilian dental clinics have similar goals for their respective patients: to prevent disease and to resolve any dental needs in the shortest amount of time possible. In the military clinic, all active duty members get An annual dental exam to determine their dental ciassification. The purpose of this exam is to ensure that they are "fit to fight." The air force tracks readiness, because dental health drives medical health, which in turn drives readiness and the military members’ ability to meet the mission. The military dental clinic monitors dental readiness through A four-part classification system based on a patient's oral health. The system is as follows: Class 1: the patient has Excellent dental health and is fit ti fight. Class 2: some oral conditions are evident and need treatment; the patient is still Fit to fight. Class 3: a condition exists that requires immediate treatment; the patient is no longer fit to fight. Class 4: dental health is unknown and the patient is not fit to fight. The military members pay for this standard of care with their Years of service and sacrifice to our country. There are several opportunities for a dental hygienist in the government, which include the Bureau of Prisons and the Public Health Service, or as a civil service employee or a contractor for the Armed Forces. Some of the larger Air Force Dental clinics have a "chief of preventative denfistry," whichis a supervisory position for a dental hygienist. There is also the opportunity to mentor active duty dental technicians assigned to this clinic. An additional opportunity for qualifying active duty airmen is the Dental Hygiene Training Scholarship Program, which allows an airman to attend Trident Technical College in South Carolina or St. Petersburg College in Florida in exchange for a service commitment. Being a civilian dental hygienist, I am an oral health care professional and a co-therapist with the dentists providing preventive, educational and therapeutic services. My role is the control of oral diseases and the promotion of oral health, and I feel that I enhance patient care and improve worldwide dental readiness. Being a civilian airman allows me to be a part of the military family and support my country as a dental hygienist. In this environment, I am encouraged to be the best that I can be, and I have embraced the Air Force core Values:"integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all you do."I feel that, in some way, i am serving my country by ensuring that all our military members are "fit to fight." This is why I love my job! If you are interested in learning more about my career, contact me at rickie.trahan@eglin.af.mil.

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