RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
Team Randolph's 12th Aeromedical Dental Squadron was split into two separate units on Aug. 6 after the Air Force's Surgeon General mandated that the service's dental corps get more leadership experience within their own ranks.
Those new units -- the 41-person 12th Dental Squadron and the 84-person 12th Aerospace Medicine Squadron -- are respectively commanded by Cols. Howard McDonnell and James Little.
"This is a great opportunity for our Airmen to have leadership roles in a squadron setting," said Maj. Scott LaFont, 12th Dental Squadron clinical dentist and dental support flight officer in charge.
Senior Master Sgt. Elvira Simpson, 12th Aerospace Medicine Squadron superintendent, was heavily involved in standing up the two new squadrons. She said the new 12th AMS, whose patient pool comes from Team Randolph's flying squadrons and their families, will work to heal patients, teach aerospace physiology to flight students and teach preventative health classes at the Health and Wellness Center.
They are also the squadron that eradicates mosquitoes on base, gives flight physicals, teaches chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and environmental awareness, maintains food safety, performs water vulnerability assessments, and manages the largest contact lens program in Air Education and Training Command.
Master Sgt. Anthony Harmon, the 12th Dental Squadron's lead dental technician, said the split will not adversely affect the level of dental care provided by that squadron - care that maintains a dental readiness level of 98 percent, which has raised the bar above the Air Force's goal of 95 percent.
Sergeant Harmon added that one reason dentists, hygienists, assistants and technicians provide that high standard of preventative care for active-duty Airmen is because dentists become familiar with their patients' dental records and issues. When available, Randolph Airmen typically see the same dentist.
Two dentists -- one with more experience -- are typically placed with a hygienist, two dental assistants and a prophylaxis technician, which allows them to build cohesion as they learn to work as a team, Sergeant Harmon commented.
Another reason the dental care provided by the squadron exceeds Air Force standards is that dentists can now see the structure of their patients teeth better than when they used X-rays.
With the purchase and installation of a $249,000 digital radiography system, dentists can now see teeth images in more detail than those provided by X-ray images. Plus, images are in real time, versus having to wait for X-rays to be developed.
Now, when a digital radiograph image is "shot," it appears instantly on a computer screen.
Plus, the level of efficiency at the clinic has improved and morale at the squadron is raised because of a $455,000 renovation which greatly modernized the clinic's interior and added much-needed storage space, eliminating clutter and giving the working environment a more streamlined look, Sergeant Harmon added.
That money came from the $13 million budget divided between the two new units.
Although the transition will be transparent for most customers, officials expect the changes to help Airmen gain more leadership experiences and streamline productivity across the board.