3-11. DEFINITIONS OF DENTAL TERMS
The extent of the dental care provided or to be provided is described using the
following terms:
a. Emergency Care. Emergency care consists of measures provided for
conditions of trauma or disease requiring prompt attention because of their severity,
acuteness, or degree of pain they cause.
b. Interceptive Care. Interceptive care consists of measures undertaker! to
control existing disease lesions. Restoration of function and/or esthetics may occur
incidentally, but are not specific objectives of the treatment.
c. Preventive Care. Preventive care consists of measures undertaken to
prevent the occurrence of disease or to control disease processes.
d. Corrective Care. Corrective care consists of measures undertaken to attain
or restore an optimum (best possible under existing circumstances) state of function
and esthetics.
e. Definitive Care. Definitive care consists of measures undertaken to attain
and maintain an optimum state of oral health. Definitive care may consist of only
preventive care or it may include both preventive and corrective care.
3-12. BACKGROUND
a. Military dentistry was first provided in the US by the Confederate Army in
1864. Its provision was based on the realization that, as a minimum, military troops
must be furnished emergency dental care. Military dentistry went down to defeat with
the rest of the Confederacy in 1865.
b. In 1901, the US Government hired civilian dentists to provide necessary
dental care for the Army. These dentists wore the Army uniform without rank or
insignia.
c. In 1911, the Army DC was established and, for the first time, dentists were
commissioned as officers.
d. As the Army grew in size, the DC strength increased. As World War I began,
the DC had a membership of 85 dental officers. During the war, the number increased
to 4,000. Reductions in Army strength after the war also meant reductions in dental
officers. Just prior to World War II, 255 dental officers were on active duty.
e. During World War II, DC strength exceeded 15,000 at one time. The Army
increased in size so rapidly during this time that dental clinical facilities could not always
keep pace. Many of the clinics worked round-the-clock. It was not uncommon during
MD0004
3-8