Section V. DENTAL AND VETERINARY SERVICE
6-26. GENERAL
Dental service in a TO is provided by a combination of unit and area dental
support. Unit dental support (as in a division) provides only essential or emergency
dental treatment in order to return dental patients to duty as expeditiously as possible.
Routine dental treatment is provided on an area basis by dental detachments organized
under TOE 8-670.
6-27. UNIT DENTAL SUPPORT
Unit dental support in the division is provided by four dental officers, one normally
assigned to each treatment platoon of the division. As stated, these officers provide
essential treatment--repairing a denture (denture repair kit available), replacing a
troublesome restoration, extracting a tooth, or accomplishing anything else immediately
necessary. When not performing dental treatment, they should assist in other aspects of
the clearing station operation and should be so trained. Routine dental treatment is the
responsibility of the area dental detachments. It is accomplished by sending dental
teams from the area dental detachments into the division area during quiescent periods
when troops are available for such treatment. Normally, a liaison officer from the
detachment is attached to the division surgeon's office to coordinate requirements.
Dental officers providing unit dental support for inpatients are assigned to general,
station, and field hospitals, as well as convalescent centers.
6-28. AREA DENTAL SUPPORT
a. The key area dental unit is the Dental Service Detachment, Team HA (TOE 8-
670). Commanded by a lieutenant colonel, Dental Corps, the unit has 14 other dental
officers, a Medical Service Corps officer, and 40 enlisted men assigned. Its mission is to
provide routine dental treatment for 20,000 troops. The unit normally must be attached
to a larger unit for quarters, food service, and maintenance support.
b. There are other dental detachments in TOE 8-670 to augment area dental
support. Dental service augmentation Teams H8, General Dentistry; HC, Removable
Prosthodontics; and HD, Fixed Prosthodontics, augment the capabilities of Team HA as
their names imply. Each is normally attached to a Dental Service Detachment, Team
HA. Team HB is allocated on the basis of one per 5,000 troops in excess of Team HA'S
capability, while Teams HC and HD are allocated on the basis of one for each 80,000
supported troops.
c. There is also a central dental laboratory in this series. The Central Dental
Laboratory, Team HE, consists of two dental officers, one Medical Service Corps officer,
and 27 enlisted men. It is allocated to a COMMZ based on one such unit to 200,000
COMMZ troops. Although the unit is located in the COMMZ, it provides dental laboratory
support for all dental officers in the theater Army area.
MD0002
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