JOINT BASE SAN-ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
Col. Stefan Olpinski was welcomed as the new commander of Dental Health Command-Central during a change of command ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston July 9. Olpinski replaces Col. Rafael Caraballo, who has led DHC-C since 2019.
The ceremony, held at the Army Medical Department Rehearsal of Concept Drill Facility, was officiated by Brig. Gen. Shan R. Bagby, commander of Regional Health Command-Central.
Olpinski comes to JBSA-Fort Sam Houston after serving as commander of the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center’s Dental Health Activity at Fort Hood, Texas, since July 18, 2019. He also served as commander of the JBSA-Fort Sam Houston Dental Health Activity commander from 2016-2019.
The incoming commander entered active duty in 1993 with his first assignment at Fort Carson, Colorado. Throughout his career, he’s served in a variety of positions throughout the country and overseas. He is a graduate of the AMEDD Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Command and General Staff College, Combat Casualty Care Course and the Joint Medical Executive Skills Institute Capstone Course.
Olpinski has a bachelor’s degree in general science from Seattle University and was commissioned in 1989 as a Medical Service Corps officer. He then attended Creighton University School of Dentistry, culminating in a doctorate of dental surgery degree in 1993.
Caraballo, a native of Ponce, Puerto Rico, came to DHC-C in 2019 after serving as commander of the Fort Meade (Maryland) DENTAC since 2016 and is retiring in the local area.
The DHC-C is the Central Region Dental Command Headquarters over the DENTACs located at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, Fort Hood and Fort Bliss in Texas; Fort Carson, Colorado; Fort Riley, Kansas; Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Fort Polk, Louisiana, and three dental clinics at Fort Irwin, California; Fort Huachuca, Arizona; and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, supporting more than 200,000 Soldiers in eight States.
The DHC-C provides preventative and sustaining dental services in support of the Total Force to enable Readiness and conserve the fighting strength.