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| Staff
Sgt. Joseph Toth gets a tooth filled by Capt. (Dr.)
Steven Caldroney and Airman 1st Class Terah Murphy during
their spring visit here May 12. The 52nd Dental Squadron's
dental bus from Spangdahlem Air Base visits four geographically
separated unit sites in three countries twice a year.
Sergeant Toth is an emergency actions controller with
the 702nd Munitions Support Squadron command post. (U.S.
Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Eydie Sakura)
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By
Airman 1st Class Eydie Sakura
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SPANGDAHLEM AIR
BASE, Germany -- Being assigned to a geographically
separated unit can sometimes create difficulties and lost
man-hours when it comes to annual appointments like dental
checkups. That is not the case for GSUs aligned with Spangdahlem.
The 52nd Dental Squadron’s
dental bus is a 40-foot long, fully functioning dental clinic
on wheels. The air-conditioned mobile unit is handicap accessible
and features two dental treatment units, an X-ray machine
and processor, a sterilization area and a waiting room.
The bus, the only one of its
kind in the Air Force, travels twice a year to various GSUs
in three countries for two weeks at time, providing expeditionary
treatment for active-duty Airmen, along with treatment for
their families.
“We visit some of our GSUs
so the people stationed there do not have to go on (temporary
duty) to Spangdahlem to get their yearly dental exam,” said
Capt. (Dr.) Steven Caldroney, a dentist with the 52nd DS.
“This bus saves the Air Force about 3,500 hours of lost
duty time (because of) travel per year and about $75,000
in patient TDY travel costs.”
Since the first appearance
of the bus in 1999, it travels each spring and fall to Volkel
Air Base, Netherlands; Kleine Brogel AB, Belgium; Buechel
AB, Germany; and Kalkar National Support Unit, Germany,
logging more than 2,100 miles each year.
“We have one dentist and three
technicians at all times on the bus,” said Staff Sgt. Davina
Armbruster, noncommissioned officer in charge of the dental
bus. “Our first week at a GSU is for routine cleanings,
and the second week is to provide fillings and minor treatments.
We can do emergency work if needed, but it’s not ideal.”
What is ideal is the time and
money saved for team members, some who would otherwise have
to drive up to five hours here from their unit to be at
an annual appointment.
“The bus is great because it
saves me a trip to Spangdahlem,” said Staff Sgt. Brandon
Jacobson, a 702nd Munitions Support Squadron communications
maintenance technician at Buechel. “It’s the worst when
your appointment gets canceled and you’ve already made the
drive down to Spangdahlem -- you can lose a whole day.”
Losing a whole day for TDY
travel for the hundreds of Airmen at the units can put a
strain on units around the wing and major command, and it
is one of the major reasons the dental bus got its start.
“A previous dental squadron
commander identified the need to have a mobile unit visit
GSUs throughout the wing,” said Senior Master Sgt. Kent
McCormack, 52nd DS superintendent. “The Pacific Air Force
is looking at the dental bus option for GSU area support
in Korea, but right now, we are the only bus in the Air
Force.”
Being the only one of its kind
in the Air Force can make for a unique working environment,
Caldroney said.
“It’s pretty cool to work on
the bus because we’re basically self-sufficient, and it’s
a great experience to be on the road,” he said. “But after
being on the road for seven weeks, it’s nice to get back
to the clinic and not have to stay in hotels for awhile.”
It is a unique experience for
most dental bus patrons too, said Staff Sgt. Joel Jiskra,
a special weapons technician.
“All I have to say is whoever
designed the bus is a genius,” he said. “It’s amazing all
the stuff that can fit into the bus, and the staff is really
friendly. They have really great customer service, and they
had me in and out of the chair in about 15 minutes.”
