(3) Help in accomplishing the medical mission of the clearing station when
not treating dental casualties. Dental officers receive training that allows them to
accomplish this duty.
c. Dental officers in hospitals and convalescent centers are limited to those who
are needed to provide the oral surgical and adjunctive dental treatment necessary to get
the patient back to duty. There are not enough dentists in hospitals to provide routine
dental treatment.
3-15. AREA DENTAL SUPPORT CELLULAR TEAMS
a. The mission of area dental support cellular teams is to provide routine dental
treatment throughout the theater of operations. The dental cellular teams are
distributed on a basis of troop strengths.
b. In the combat zone, the dental cellular teams are located to the rear of the
divisions in the corps support area and dental officers are sent forward into the division
areas as troops become available for treatment. If sufficient troops are available, dental
units may pool their resources and provide concentrated treatment during a quiescent
period. When the division is engaged, the dental officers return to their locations in the
corps rear and treat supporting troops in that area. These dental teams also backup the
hospital dental service when patients or staff is available for dental treatment.
c. The teams also supply area dental support in the communications zone.
3-16. DESCRIPTION OF AREA DENTAL SUPPORT CELLULAR TEAMS
Area dental support cellular teams are authorized by TOE 8-670, which is
comprised of the dental cellular teams that provide dental treatment in a theater of
operations.
a. The Dental Service Detachment. The primary dental support unit is the
Dental Service Detachment (Team HA). It differs from the other dental cellular teams of
TOE 8-670 in that it is a basic support unit. Team HA provides routine and emergency
outpatient dental service. In a theater of operations, teams are assigned based on one
team per 20,000 troops. Team HA consists of a commander (LTC, DC), 14 additional
dental officers, a MS Officer, and 39 enlisted men. The unit may be subdivided into
three teams, one of which may be further subdivided into five dental treatment sub-
teams. It may be assigned to a corps medical brigade/group, a theater army medical
command, or task forces and independent units. Team HA has organic transportation
and is 100 percent mobile. Team HA also provides command and control for attached
dental teams (HB, HC, and HD).
b. The Dental Service Augmentation, General Dentistry. The Dental Service
Augmentation, General Dentistry (Team HB) provides routine and emergency dental
service to troops not supported by a Team HA. Team HB consists of a chief (MAJ, DC),
MD0004
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