50th Commemorative Anniversary

of the United States

Air Force Dental Service

1949-1999

Col. D. Keith Savage, USAFR, DC

Published by

The Office of the 

Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services

United States Air Force

Bolling AFB, DC

1999
THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE 

DENTAL SERVICE

“The Air Force Dental Corps: a uniquely talented and dedicated group

vital to the Air Force mission, who efficiently combine the dual professions of military officership as well as dental practitioners in a mutually

supporting and cooperative manner. Aspiring to the highest ideals of

quality care, Air Force dentistry integrates modern treatment modalities, 

teaching, and research along with administrative acumen in its goal of

providing the finest possible oral health for Air Force personnel worldwide.”

Major General Arthur J. Sachsel

Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services

1982-1987

In the process of researching the history of the USAF Dental Service,

the author encountered many individuals who spoke highly of Maj. Gen. 

Sachsel. Due to his long and distinguished career of almost forty years, 

strong personal communication skills as a leader, and his passion for

the Dental Service, many fellow dental officers referred to him as “Mr. 

Air Force Dentistry.”

ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD .....................................................................................................................................ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS...............................................................................................................iii

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 1

MISSION............................................................................................................................................. 2

ARMY DENTAL HISTORY .................................................................................................. .....6

 Significant Dates in U. S. Military Dental History............................................................................. 6

WORLD WAR II: BEGINNINGS OF AIR FORCE DENTISTRY .............................. 8

 Dental Support of Army Air Forces.................................................................................................... 8

 Creation of Dental Section within the Air Surgeon’s Office ................................................................ 9

AVIATION DENTISTRY............................................................................................................10

GEORGE R. KENNEBECK: FATHER OF AIR FORCE DENTISTRY ..................12

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE DENTAL SERVICE........................14

 “Getting Started on the Right Path,” Col. Walter J. Reuter............................................................14

 USAF Dental Service Seal...............................................................................................................15

THE EARLY YEARS: 1949-1952............................................................................................16

 Early Leaders..................................................................................................................................16

 Promotion, Dental Autonomy, and the Amalgam Mill......................................................................17

ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT.......................................................................18

1949-1996......................................................................................................................................18

 Current Organization and Professional Development ..............................................................18

 USAF Dental Officer Insignia..........................................................................................................19

LEADERSHIP.................................................................................................................................20

 The Generals...................................................................................................................................20

 The Rank of the Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services.......................................................22

 The Chiefs.......................................................................................................................................24

 “We are not an Entity to Ourselves,” Chief Master Sgt. Walter C. Tieck, Jr...................................25

ENLISTED TRAINING ...............................................................................................................26

 USAF Dental Enlisted Insignia........................................................................................................28

OFFICER TRAINING..................................................................................................................30

 A Need for More Specialists............................................................................................................30

 Wilford Hall Medical Center Establishment ....................................................................................31

 Wilford Hall Dental Residencies: Programs and Graduate Numbers..............................................31

 MacKown and Dunn Dental Clinics.................................................................................................32

 General Dentistry and Hospital Dentistry........................................................................................33

 Prosthodontics ................................................................................................................................34

 “Anywhere but Lackland,” Col. Kenneth D. Rudd: Father of Air Force Prosthodontics................34

 Air Force Dental Laboratory Management......................................................................................35

iii
 Maxillofacial Prosthetics.................................................................................................................35

 Periodontics....................................................................................................................................36

 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery .......................................................................................................36

 Endodontics.....................................................................................................................................37

 American Dental Association Accreditation Ratings of WHMC Residencies....................................37

 Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry ..............................................................................................38

 Consultant Programs: Civilian, Base, and Military ........................................................................38

FACILITIES, STAFFING............................................................................................................40

 Civilian Support ..............................................................................................................................42

 USAF Dental Clinics Named in Honor of Air Force Dentists...........................................................43

OPENING THE RANKS..............................................................................................................44

 “I Loved My Air Force Career,” Col. Hampton Green, Jr..............................................................44

 Firsts for Women in the USAF Dental Service .................................................................................45

PREVENTIVE DENTISTRY......................................................................................................46

 “More to Dentistry than Just the Mouth,” Col. Arden G. Christen..................................................48

 Public Health Dentistry ...................................................................................................................49

ORAL RESEARCH .......................................................................................................................50

 Panoramics, Highspeed Handpieces, Radio Dentures, and Stereolithography ........................... 51-53

DENTAL INVESTIGATION SERVICE.................................................................................54

 “We don’t do Research, Only Investigation,” Col. John M. Young .................................................55

ORAL PATHOLOGY...................................................................................................................56

FORENSIC DENTISTRY............................................................................................................57

COMBAT DENTISTRY...............................................................................................................58

 World War II and Korea ............................................................................................................ 59-60

 “Toothaches in the Field can be Incapacitating,” Col. Warren R. Hester.......................................59

 Vietnam and Air Force Dental Officers Killed in Vietnam ...............................................................60

 The Gulf War...................................................................................................................................62

OPERATIONS OTHER THAN WAR.....................................................................................63

THE RESERVE COMPONENTS.............................................................................................64

 Brigadier General James P. Hollers: A Tribute to a very active Reserve Dentist ............................67

AEROMEDICAL DENTISTRY................................................................................................68

 “A Love of Dentistry and Airplanes,” Col. William M. Morlang, II ................................................69

AEROSPACE DENTISTRY..... .................................................................................................70

 Emergency Dental Kit for Space Missions.......................................................................................72

 “Air Force Dentistry was Progressive,” Lt. Col. Jack L. Hartley....................................................72

RESEARCH SOURCES............................................................................................................... 74

INDEX OF NAMES....................................................................................................................... 81

iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

 There are many individuals deserving recognition for their assistance towards this historical project. Col. Richard Lubman, my Reserve Dental Corps supervisor opened the door 

of opportunity for me to work with the USAF Dental Services staff of the Surgeon General’s 

Office (SGD). Col. William Aussiker (SGD) offered the initial important support for getting 

the project started and Col. William Taylor (SGD) provided gracious help in editing. My active duty supervisors at Dyess AFB, Texas, were all supportive, including Col. Jon Staley,

Col. Becky Gering, Col. Dennis Stelton, and Col. Gary Vigil. Many retired USAF dental officers offered encouragement and affirmation, such as Dr. Arden Christen, Dr. Bill Baker,

Dr. Bob Engelmeier, Dr. Tom Girvan, Dr. Ed Herbold, Dr. Eugene Dyboski, Dr. Marvin

Bennet, and Dr. Harold Biddle. Dr. Christen, an active writer of dental history, served as

mentor throughout the project and also helped with the editing.

 I also appreciate the assistance of Dr. James Nanney, historian to the USAF Surgeon 

General, for guidance in retrieving archival material and help in editing the text. Col. Walter 

Reuter, one of the original staff officers of the Dental Division in Washington in 1949, offered remarkable help. He provided substantial documentation and photos of those early

years that has since been donated to the National Museum of Dentistry in Baltimore, Maryland, at their request. My wife Melanie spent many hours at the computer with the layout of 

the material.

 The interviews and correspondence with individuals who actually made Air Force

dental history were interesting and worthy of recording. They are too numerous to mention 

by name, but I am thankful for their time and input. This commemorative history not only

highlights their contributions and achievements, but serves as an historical tribute of the Dental Service’s past of honoring the mission of the Air Force.

 Lt. Col. Keith Savage is an Air Force Reserve Dental Officer with a dental practice 

in Abilene, Texas. An historian by avocation, he has published historical dental articles in 

state, regional, and national periodicals and is active with the American Academy of the

History of Dentistry.

v
1

INTRODUCTION

The United States Air Force Dental Service, which was created in July 1949, 

has not only successfully met the challenge of supporting the mission of the 

Air Force but also made significant contributions to the profession of dentistry. Air Force dentistry originated in World War II with support of the

Army Air Forces. Almost two years after the creation of the Air Force in September 1947, the Air Force received its own Dental Service, a component of

the Air Force Medical Service. For fifty years, evolving from aviation dentistry 

to aerospace dentistry, the Air Force Dental Service has fulfilled its mission of 

providing oral health to Air Force personnel worldwide.

The commitment of Air Force dental leaders to training and education has

made the Dental Service a standard-bearer in post-graduate dental education. 

Key centers of dental education are located at Wilford Hall Medical Center,

Lackland AFB, Texas, and at the Air Force Medical Service’s School of

Healthcare Sciences at Sheppard AFB, Texas. Furthermore, during the 1950s 

researchers at the School of Aerospace Medicine at Randolph AFB, Texas,

created new technologies for the diagnosis and prevention of dental disease. In 

the early 1960s, when the School of Aerospace Medicine transferred to

Brooks AFB, Texas, Air Force dentists began to meet the challenge of providing support to the nation’s manned space programs. In the late 1970s, the new 

Dental Investigation Service at Brooks AFB began to contribute valuable new 

knowledge on safe dental working conditions and infection control. Air Force 

dentists have expanded the diagnostic repertoire of oral pathology and helped 

create the standard protocol for forensic identification in mass disasters. Dental support of the Air Force mission has sometimes been achieved only with

high human costs, as shown by the deaths of several Air Force dentists in the 

Vietnam War.
2

Preparing the Air Force for war 

is basically the mission of all those 

who wear the blue suit. Air War

College studies emphasize “that

people are the decisive factor in

war,” and people must be healthy

to operate the sophisticated machinery of the modern military. 

Twenty-first century technology

can be instrumental in decisive

victory, but it still takes people to

assemble, maintain, and utilize the 

specialized equipment. The mission of the Dental Service is to

make sure the troops are healthy

enough to perform their duty. Air 

Force personnel are required to

have a high degree of oral health,

allowing them to be eligible for

worldwide duty. From its inception, Air Force dentists have provided not only routine dental therapy, but have been challenged to

provide dental support in various

environments, including the extreme conditions of combat and the 

exploration of space.

MISSION

Air Force dentistry participated with skylab training in early 1970s.

Air Force dental care given to Vietnamese villagers.

Preventive dentistry instruction at Lackland AFB, Texas
3

MISSION

“The cost of maintaining the Dental Corps is small when compared with the relief from 

suffering obtained and the greater efficiency of the officers and men who have received the 

service of the dental surgeons. Good teeth are an essential factor in maintaining the general health of our troops, and the dental surgeon has become a necessity to the Army.”

Surgeon General’s Report to the Secretary of War, 1902.

Dental Laboratory Technician in training 

“It was conservatively estimated that 90% of Air Force inductees in 1951

 had extensive oral defects, and it is readily realized that the dental

 mission represents a continuing and monumental task. “

USAF Medical Service Digest, July, 1954.

Air Force dental officer Arden Christen promoting anti-tobacco use in early 1970s.
4

MISSION

“It is startling to realize that for every 100 inductees into the service, the 

Armed Forces provide 500 fillings, 80 extractions, 25 bridges, and 20 dentures.

The magnitude of the military dentists’ mission can be readily appreciated.”

Congressman Paul G. Rogers, speaking to 

National Dental Health Congress in 1969.

Polaroid photo of Air Force inductee.

Air Force oral researchers, Norman Harris and Jack Hartley, at Randolph’s 

School of Aviation Medicine in the 1950s. The inscription Volanti 

Subvernimus means “we support the mission.”

The Dental Investigation Service at Brooks AFB, 

created in 1976, provides valuable information 

to the military and the profession.
5

Air Force dentists provide important forensic identification assistance in air 

mishaps and mass disasters.

MISSION

Original dental kit designed in the 1960s by USAF dentists for space flight use.

“The mission of the Air Force Dental Service is to provide a

 continuing and complete oral health service, worldwide, in

 support of the medical military mission.”

Major General James S. Cathroe, Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services, on the 

10th Anniversary of the Air Force Dental Service.
6

for the soldier such attention to his

teeth as might be necessary to preserve his efficiency.” Lincoln referred the request to the War Department, but unfortunately, no changes

occurred during the war. 

The actual birthplace of Army Dentistry took place at West Point before 

the Civil War. The Academy had

employed the occasional services of

visiting dentists since 1825 as

needed for the cadets and officers;

however, the first dentist in uniform 

was Dr. William Saunders. He

served the needs of that institution

for almost fifty years, starting in 

1858 as a hospital steward. Because 

of his prior dental training in New

York City, (probably as a preceptorship), he was called upon to treat

patients with dental complaints. In

ARMY DENTAL HISTORY

George Washington had dental problems most of his adult life. 

As Commander of the Colonial

Armies, he was treated by several

civilian dentists during the American Revolution.

During the Civil War, the South

conscripted dentists for service,

requiring them to provide their

own instruments. Many potential 

recruits were turned down from

military service because they

lacked six opposing front teeth

needed to bite off the end of the 

powder cartridge utilized with

muzzle loaded firearms. In 1864

the American Dental Association

sent representatives to Washington 

with the express purpose of meeting Lincoln and securing his advice, “as to the direction in which 

efforts should be made to secure

1872, he became the Army’s first 

regular dentist occupying a dental room within the hospital at

West Point. 

During the Spanish-American 

War in 1898, reports surfaced of

 SIGNIFICANT DATES

1770s George Washington had civilian dentists assigned for his dental needs.

1864 South conscripted dentists.

1872 Army’s first regular dentist employed at West Point.

1901 Army Dental Corps comprised of civilian contract dentists established .

1911 Army Dentists to be commissioned as 1st Lieutenants.

1912 Navy Dental Corps established.

1917 “Dentists Bill” assured Dental Officers given same rank and pay as Medical Officers. Dental Section established within Surgeon General Office.

1942 Dental Section within the Office of the Air Surgeon created.

1947 Air Force created.

1949 Air Force Dental Division established on June 8. Dental Service established on 

1 July, as a component of the Air Force Medical Service.

In 1864, the American Dental Association sent Dr. S.S. White to Washington with the express 

purpose of meeting President Lincoln and securing his advice, “as to the direction in which 

efforts should be made to secure for the soldier such attention to his teeth as might be necessary to preserve his efficiency.”

William Saunders, 

 the Army’s first dentist.
7

ARMY DENTAL HISTORY

TOMBSTONE 

EPITAPH:

William Saunders

Born 1835-Died 1906

For Forty Nine Years Hospital Steward Dental Surgeon 

and Undertaker at the Military Academy. Simple and 

Genial of Life. A Generous 

Unswerving and Discreet 

Friend. He has Served the 

Living and the Dead of Generations of West Pointers.

poor oral conditions among the

troops in Cuba and the Philippines. President McKinley soon

thereafter signed a bill authorizing 

a corps of civilian contract dentists 

attached to the Medical Corps: A

ratio of about one dentist per 3,000 

troops and no more than thirty

total to be employed with a salary

of $150 a month.

In 1906, the ADA formed a committee to propose Army and Navy

Dental Legislation. The fruits of

this were quickly realized with

congressional legislation in 1911

allowing for dentists to be commissioned as first lieutenants and to

“respond to any call or service in

time of war or impending national 

crisis.”

When America entered the first

President McKinley signed Act S.4300 in 1901, establishing a corps of 

civilian contract dentists “to increase the efficiency of the military 

establishment of the United States.”

The famous German surgeon, Langenbeck, at the end of the war stated, 

“I will never go to war again without the dentist.”

World War, less than 100 dentists

were on active duty, and would be

tasked to command the rapid addition of several thousand dentists

from the reserves to active duty. 

The Defense Act of 1916 and the

Dentist’s Bill of 1917 assured that 

Dental Officers would receive the

same pay and allowances as well

as rank and promotion as Medical 

Officers. In reality, this did not

always happen. During the war,

approximately 4600 officers served 

in the Dental Corps, only nine of

whom were full colonels. Almost

1500 had been called to active duty 

as enlisted men. 

 Enemy action took the lives of

seven American dental officers and 

seven dental assistants during

WWI, who often served as surgical 

assistants during battles. Eight

dentists died from disease. Combat 

activities resulted in 36 dental personnel wounded. American Expeditionary Forces treated 1,396,957

dental patients.

WWI caught most armies unprepared, without adequate, if any,

dental contingents to serve the

needs of their personnel. For example, the British Expeditionary

Force had no dentists at the start of 

the conflict and less than one thousand at war’s end. Since that time, 

dentistry has played a greater role

in all nations’ armies.

Dr. Kennebeck entered WW I as a 1st

Lieutenant in 1917 serving as a dentist. 

He remained with the Army until 1949, at 

which time he became the Air Force’s first 

Assistant Surgeon General for Dental

Services. 

____________________________

Dr. John Hyson, an Air Force dental officer during the early 1950s,

is now recognized as the Army’s

Honorary Dental Historian. His

many outstanding publications

regarding military dental history

are classics, based on countless

hours of detailed research.
8

WORLD WAR II

Even before America’s entry

into the war, the Selective Service

System was confronted with the

unfortunate reality of many rejections of draftees due to dental defects. The President of the American Dental Association in August,

1941, stated that it was a “grave

concern to the military.” President 

Roosevelt in October, 1941, speaking to the Secretary of War, stated 

that he hoped to “salvage 100,000

men with correctable dental defects out of 188,000 rejected.”

Congressional debate resulted as

to whether or not the federal government should reimburse civilian

dentists for work performed to

make a recruit eligible for induction or have the armed forces dental personnel responsible for upgrading the oral health of its inductees. The latter option was selected with the result of an urgent, 

massive need to expand the number of military dentists. It was decided to have as much dental rehabilitation during training as possible rather than later in the field.

Consequently, the majority of dental officers would be stateside;

however, it remained necessary to

have a considerable number sent

overseas.

Over 18,000 dentists served in the 

Army during WWII. The Army

Air Corps dental component increased from 400 to 4,000 during

the course of the war. Some not

only deployed with units engaged

in combat, but a number were

wounded, taken as prisoners of

war, and killed in action. Due to

the military urgency in early 1942, 

many soldiers were deployed who

were in bad shape orally. Reports

in the South Pacific indicate that

some units had perhaps 80 percent 

of the men arriving in need of

some form of dental therapy. 

Those dentists assigned to those

theaters of operation would be

challenged to meet the needs of the 

troops in their units. 

Divisions of 15,000 men generally 

had twelve dentists assigned to

DENTAL SUPPORT OF ARMY AIR FORCES

The following quotes are taken from the book Medical Support, Army Air Forces in World War II. 

They provide evidence that the dental component

was consistently underestimated in its valuable support of the mission.

♦ “Because of insufficient dentists, patients could 

not be kept in a state of satisfactory dental health 

for even a short period of time.” 

♦ “Dental officers were often overworked and had 

inadequate equipment.” 

♦ “Dental officers were without a doubt one of the 

most overworked groups in the theater.” 

♦ “The shortage of dental personnel during the 

course of the war was, perhaps more pronounced 

than was the shortage of medical personnel.”

♦ “The dental situation was probably causing the 

Medical Department ‘more concern’ than any 

other problem during midsummer 1943.”

them — one major, the rest captains and lieutenants. But there

were unfortunate instances of one

field dentist being responsible for

three to four thousand troops. 

That was not good for the combat

mission.
9

OUR BEGINNINGS

CREATION OF DENTAL SECTION WITHIN 

THE AIR SURGEON’S OFFICE

There were no Dental Corps personnel assigned to the Surgeon General’s Office prior to WWI; however, 

in August of 1917, the Dental Section of the Personnel Division, SGO, 

was organized. This created administrative difficulties for the Dental

Corps because all activities and recommendations had to be cleared

through the Personnel Section prior

to reaching the Surgeon General. It 

was renamed the Dental Division in 

1919. 

Not much changed significantly

until the hostilities of WWII, at

which time, the director of the Dental Division stated “such clearance

required too much time when time

was at a premium.” By the end of

the war, the Army Dental Corps 

would have more independent status 

within SGO. During the war, the

Dental Director repeatedly urged

more dental representation within

other divisions of SGO where dental 

concerns were voiced, notably, the

Office of Air Surgeon. Up until

WWII, no dentists were assigned to

that office. 

 With the introduction of high altitude flying in the late 1930s, dental complaints had became more

evident among aviation cadets. 

The following statement appeared

in aircrew reports, as well as a few 

independent studies in the dental

literature: “The use of airplanes

known as American fortresses at a 

great height has brought up the

problems of flying in the stratosphere....Badly filled teeth ache at

25,000 feet, and so the crews require the regular attention of a

dentist.” It was evident that the

Army Air Corps needed to explore 

this area more closely. On June 28, 

1942, a Dental section within the

Office of the Air Surgeon was created, and Lt. Col. George R. Kennebeck was assigned as deputy of

the new section. This was the beginning of the Air Force Dental

Service that would not be officially 

established until 1949. 

The Army Dental Section, SGO,

would continue to coordinate procedures and policies for the Army

Dental Corps as a whole, but it

would no longer act on peculiar

problems related to the Air Corps. 

Dr. Kennebeck’s new division

would basically be responsible for

supervising dental personnel assigned to Army Air Bases. Soon

promoted, Col. Kennebeck would

remain in this position throughout 

the war and continue until the U.S. 

Air Force Dental Division was created within the Surgeon General’s

Office on June 8, 1949. The following month, Brigadier General

George Kennebeck became the

original Assistant to the Surgeon

General for Dental Services. 

“The use of airplanes known as 

American fortresses at a great 

height has brought up the problems 

of flying in the stratosphere....Badly 

filled teeth ache at 25,000 feet, and 

so the crews require the regular

attention of a dentist.”

Col. George R. Kennebeck, assigned as the first deputy of the 

Dental Section at the Air Surgeon’s Office during WWII. 
10

On May 18, 1945, at Randolph

Field, Texas, the Department of

Dentistry, Army Air Force,

School of Aviation Medicine

(SAM) was created to serve in a

research and teaching capacity. 

Capt. David F. Mitchell was the

first dental officer assigned there. 

Two of the earliest projects completed by June of that year were

“Bibliography of Aviation Dentistry” and “Effects of Oxygen

Decompression on Saliva.”

During WWII, there was close

cooperation between the military

and civilian sector regarding

Aviation Dentistry. Correspondence between civilian universities, research institutes, and governmental agencies such as the

Dental Research Section of the

widespread interest, but very little

knowledge on the subject.

A position was established in

the Medical Safety Division, Office

of Flying Safety, for Capt. Kermit F. 

Knudtzon, DC, to evaluate the data. 

In December, 1943, a dental questionnaire was sent to 200 Army Air 

Bases to further determine if indeed

there were dental problems encountered at high altitude flying. Questionnaire replies indicated problems

were evident and further investigation and research were necessary. A 

team of eleven dental officers selected from bases throughout the

country under the supervision of recently promoted Maj. Knudtzon visited about twenty-five dental installations whose findings warranted

study. 

“Aviation dentistry, for the most part, is merely good 

dentistry.”

Captain David F. Mitchell, 1945

 first dental officer assigned to study aviation 

dentistry at Randolph Field’s School of 

Aviation Medicine

The origins of aviation dentistry

began during the first World War

with concerns about removable prosthetic appliances and their potential

hazards during flight. Additional

questions were raised as to the effect 

of decreased oxygen levels on gum

tissue and a possible increased incidence of periodontal abscesses

among aviation personnel. 

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, as 

flying attained higher altitudes, the

incidences of tooth complaints became more prevalent.

The problem was magnified

with the introduction of the B-29 

Flying Superfortress to the Air Force 

arsenal in 1942. High altitude flying 

and its effects on airmen had become 

a very viable concern to the Air Surgeon's Office.

Col. George R. Kennebeck,

Deputy of the recently created Dental Branch within the Office of the

Air Surgeon, sent a letter in April,

1943, to those Army Air Stations

conducting altitude training, seeking 

information as to the effects of decreased barometric pressure upon

dental tissue. Response showed

AVIATION DENTISTRY
11

AVIATION DENTISTRY

oral structures revealed that no new

dental pathology resulted from this

altered environment; however, about 

one to three percent of airmen experienced aerodontalgia, at times quite 

severe, sometimes resulting in an

aborted mission. Obviously, air crew 

commanders wanted an answer. It

was often attributed to pre-existing 

sinus conditions, untreated dental

pathology, or faulty existing dental

treatment. Pilots also showed a

higher incidence of periodontal disease; however, it was determined

that gingival tissue, whether normal 

or inflamed, is unaffected by low

atmospheric pressure. 

In subsequent decades, pressurized

aircraft and flying suits helped decrease the incidence of aerodontalgia; however, airmen continued to

have occasional complaints. Research continued, often asking the

same questions with the term

“barodontalgia” becoming more

prevalent in the dental literature. 

Studies in the 1970s concluded that

multi-rooted teeth with partial vitality (one or more roots may be nonvital) was a major cause of barodontalgia.

For fifty years, the dental corps has

striven to prevent the occasional

toothache encountered during flight, 

but for the most part, not much has

changed, in that prevention seems to 

be the best cure. 

National Bureau of Standards, as 

well as the military was opened. 

Information was disseminated

quickly in the dental literature. 

The first conference on Aviation 

Dentistry was held in February,

1945, with equal representation

by the military and civilian sector. Col. George Kennebeck,

Maj. Knudtzon, and Capt.

Mitchell were in attendance.

Dental researchers at SAM

sought to determine any effect

flight conditions had on oral tissues, dental appliances, and dental restorations. Questions were

raised as to the effects of decompression, prolonged exposure to

oxygen, and prevention of tooth

problems when flying at altitude.

Capt. Mithchell’s essay “The

History of Aviation Dentistry

with Emphasis on Development

in the Army Air Force during

World War II” is a classic that

has stood the test of time. Even 

before the conclusion of the war, 

terms such as “aeronautical dentistry” as well as “aerodontalgia” 

were being used. Mitchell is

credited with coining the use of

“aerodontalgia.” 

Research concerning the effects

of low barometric pressure on

About one to three percent of airmen

 experienced occasional toothache while flying at 

high altitude during World War II, sometimes 

severe enough to cause a mission to be aborted.
12

GEORGE R. KENNEBECK

The skills of a true leader

were exemplified during Dr. George

R. Kennebeck’s decade long tenure

as the head of the dental corps

during its transition from the Army

to the Air Force. His distinguished

career as a young military dental

officer in the field to his

organizational and visionary 

leadership in Washington makes

him perhaps the most influential

person in the history of the USAF

dental corps. He indeed should be

called the “Father of the Air Force

Dental Corps.”

George Kennebeck graduated

from the University of Iowa Dental

Dr. Kennebeck, (back row, 2nd from right), was one of two dentists 

deployed to Vladivostok from 1918-1919 with a contingent sent in support 

of the white Russians. 

Captain Kennebeck, early 1920s.

School in 1916, during which time

he had participated in our nation’s

newly created ROTC program. His

private practice days were shortlived because within a year he was

conscripted into the Army in 1917. 

Commissioned as a first lieutenant,

he spent his war years at Fort

Dodge, Iowa.

After the surrender of Germany,

Dr. Kennebeck remained with the

Army and was stationed in the

Washington DC area for a short

time. In 1918, he had the unique

experience of serving in one of our

country’s lesser known military 

ventures. The United States sent a

contingency of troops to Siberia in

support of the white Russians

opposing the Bolsheviks and their

revolution. He was one of two

dentists to deploy to Vladivostok

from 1918-1919.

Part of his duty there included

doing dental work for Russian

elected officials as a political

goodwill action by the Americans.

Shortly thereafter he spent a year in 

Manila before being stationed in the 

Washington, DC, area. 

In the early 1930s, Major

Kennebeck was honored to be
13

dentistry.

At the close of the war, Col.

Kennebeck remained as deputy of

the new division, being promoted

to Brigadier General in April,

1948. When the Air Force Dental

Division was officially formed in

June, 1949, he was selected to

become its first commander with

the title “Assistant for Dental

Services.” He was promoted to

Major General in July, 1949, on

establishment of the Medical 

invited back to his alma mater as 

an ROTC instructor at the Iowa

Dental School. Othe r 

assignments included Panama,

Mitchell Field on Long Island,

and Camp Davis in North

Carolina, where he received

orders to return to Washington

D.C. in 1941.

In January of 1942, he was

selected to command the newly

created Dental Section within the 

Air Surgeon’s Office, tasked with 

handling the dental concerns of

the Army Air Corps. Soon

promoted, Col. Kennebeck also

coordinated the establishment of

the Office of Flying Safety within 

the Medical Safety Division. Its

immediate emphasis was to

research dental complaints at

high altitude flying. He also

created a position for a dental

officer at the School of Aviation

Medicine at Randolph Field, San 

Antonio, Texas, to study aviation 

FATHER OF AIR FORCE DENTISTRY

“he was very bright, possessed high ethical standards, 

a pleasure to work with, and, I 

believe, the finest officer I

ever worked with.”

Major General George R. Kennebeck, 1950, original Assistant for Dental Services, USAF. 

Since 1960, the title has been “Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services, USAF.”

Service. He was joined by Lt. Col. 

Walter J. Reuter, who had

participated on Col. Kennebeck’s

staff in the Air Surgeon’s Office at 

the close of WW II, but had since

served as base dental surgeon at

Bolling AFB. At General

Kennebeck’s request, Dr. Reuter

was chosen as his sole companion 

dental officer at HQ USAF Dental 

Division during those busy 

transition years. Thei r 

organizational skills helped

navigate the Dental Service

through those challenging early

years. It was not surprising that

they accomplished so much as a

team in such a short period of

time, given the fact that they had

such a strong working rapport with 

each other. According to Dr. 

Reuter, the general was very

approachable and receptive to

ideas, an astute listener, and one

who was also very decisive with a

balanced sense of discernment,

“one who could assign tasks in

gentle, concise terms in a very

encouraging manner....” Dr.

Reuter also emphasized, “...he was 

very bright, possessed high ethical 

standards, [was] a pleasure to work 

with, and, I believe, the finest

officer I ever worked with.” 
14

ESTABLISHMENT OF U.S. AIR FORCE DENTAL SERVICE

The National Security Act of

1947 allowed for the formation of

the United States Air Force; however, it would be two years before

the Air Force would provide its

own medical and dental support. 

General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Air

Force Chief of Staff, signed Order 

No. 35 on June 8, 1949, establishing the AF Medical Service effective July 1, 1949. The Dental

Service was one of the six subordinate components, headed by the

Dental Division in the Office of

the Surgeon General. Brig. Gen.

George R. Kennebeck and Lt. Col. 

Walter J. Reuter, assisted by one

Medical Service Corps Officer,

were the original dental staff of

the division.

On July 1, 1949, 175 dentists,

regular officers, and 249 reserve

dental officers on active duty transferred from the Army. But there

was a severe shortage of dental

officers and enlisted men at the

inception of the USAF Dental

Service. Over 18,000 Army dentists served in WWII, and by late

1946, over 14,000 had separated

creating a shortage of dentists that 

would persist for years to come.

Even though the Army had undergone massive demobilization

shortly after the war, there still

remained millions of men in uniform. At the start of the Korean

War in 1950, the dental shortage

became acute.

“A standing rule was 

that the Army did not 

have to release anyone 

they did not want to, 

and the Air Force did 

not have to accept anyone they did not want. 

The transition went very 

smoothly. ”

Col. Walter J. Reuter, 

USAF Dental Officer on 

the Transfer Board.

IN APPRECIATION OF WALTER J. REUTER

Fortunate to be blessed with good health and long life, Col. Reuter's personal communication, as well as documents and photographs retained

from the early years of the USAF Dental Corps, have been an invaluable 

asset to the writing of this commemorative history. His orderly and administrative skills resurfaced with his help on this project. Col. Reuter

will always remain one of the most influential persons in the history of 

Air Force Dentistry.

REFLECTIONS

“GETTING STARTED ON 

THE RIGHT PATH” —

COL. WALTER J. REUTER 

In 1949, when the Air Force Dental Division was created with

Brigadier General George Kennebeck as chief, I was assigned as the 

only dentist on staff with him. We

had our work cut out for us. A lot 

of projects that we initiated lasted

for years, and some may still be in 

effect, such as the Senior Dental

Program, which we initiated to

deal with the shortage of dentists. 

We wanted dental facilities that

provided more patient privacy, that 

is one patient per operatory, rather 

than the huge open dental clinics

that the Army utilized up to that 

time. So it was necessary to provide input at the earliest possible

time as Congress was funding the

building of new facilities. We also 

wanted to provide educational opportunities to the dental officers

that would help towards retaining

dentists as well as provide opportunities for the young dentists to expand their skills while on active

duty, and not just do amalgams.

We worked hard to get Air Force

dental officers in residency programs at civilian institutions as

well as Army and Navy facilities. 

I could go on and on about the programs initiated in those early years 

that had good lasting effects on the 

Air Force Dental Corps. One reason so much was accomplished in 

such a short time was the exceptional leadership General Kennebeck exerted. He was a pleasure to 

work with and I think as an officer 

was the finest I ever worked with.

He was the right man for the job at 

the right time, and he got the Dental Corps started on the right path.

Col. Walter J. Reuter
15

USAF DENTAL SERVICE SEAL

All Air Force medical insignia have the central design of a staff with one 

snake coiled around, the same symbol the ancient Greeks used for the healing 

arts. It represented the staff of Asklepios, a mythological Greek physician. 
16

THE EARLY YEARS 

EARLY LEADERS

While George R. Kennebeck began piloting the Dental

Division in 1949, he was soon

joined by some very capable individuals. Walter R. Reuter was 

eventually joined by John K.

Sitzman in 1950, Walter H. Bird 

in 1951, and Kenneth R. Elwell 

in 1952. Many of the programs

these men initiated were visionary, producing long term positive 

fruits for the Dental Service. 

Input as to the necessary numbers of dentists, facilities, and

equipment to support the Air

Force mission, as well as recruitment objectives such as the Senior Dental Program, had to be

coordinated with Congress.

Col. Reuter was responsible for

the initial procurement allotments for specialty training of

Air Force dental officers at various military and civilian teaching centers. Many of the graduates of these programs would

soon be instrumental in helping

establish the highly acclaimed

dental residency training programs at several Air Force installations, notably, Wilford Hall. 

Col. Reuter also established

guidelines for the training of 

assistants and laboratory technicians, as well as advocating that

the Air Force train its own personnel for administering annual

prophylaxis treatments. Colonel

Elwell established the Air Force

Preventive Dentistry Program,

while Col. Walter H. Bird coordinated the Senior Dental Administration Management 

Course.

. 

SENIOR DENTAL PROGRAM

To alleviate the shortage of dentists in 1949, the Senior Dental Student 

Program was initiated, facilitating officer procurement. Those students 

entering the program were commissioned on active duty as second lieutenants during their final year of dental education and entered the Air 

Force as first lieutenants upon graduation. It was a visionary program 

that would serve the Dental Service well for decades to come. Seventyeight dental officers were commissioned by way of the Air Force Reserve 

(Medical Service Corps) via this program during fiscal year 1949-50. 

Their service obligation was two years. In 1955, the obligation time was 

extended to three years. One of the most respected Dental Service leaders, Maj. Gen. Arthur J. Sachsel, entered the Senior Dental Program in 

1949 and served in Washington during the 1980s.

AIR FORCE MANUAL 160-13

In late 1950, Colonel John K. Sitzman began working on development 

of a Dental Air Force Manual to replace the existing guidelines set forth 

in Army manual AR 40-15. In July of 1951, the Dental Administrative 

and Technical Procedures Manual (AFM 160-13) was published. It demanded extensive changes throughout the Dental Service including the 

initiation of AF Form 309 in all USAF dental folders. The new DD 

Form 477, the Dental Service Report, also began to be utilized, which 

greatly improved the reporting media for dental activities. AFM-160-13 

outlines instructions as to the following:

• Mission and Function of the Dental Section

• Dental Administration

• Technical Provisions

• Reports and Records

AF FORM 309 THE DENTAL HEALTH RECORD 

In 1948, the Secretary of Defense indicated a desire for all federal services to use the same medical and dental forms. Dr. Reuter took the early 

initiative to format such a form, which the Air Force began to use in 

1951, AF Form 309 (see page 57). By the end of 1952, 95 percent of Air 

Force people had the form completed in their dental record. A few modifications have been incorporated to accommodate some desires of the 

Navy and Army, but the present SF Form 603 used today by all the military services is basically the same as its original precursor fifty years ago.
17

1949-1952

The morale of the dental officers at the close of the second

World War was low, resulting in 

a mass exodus from active duty. 

Over 95 percent of the dental

personnel had separated from the 

Army by the end of 1946. Three 

primary reasons were cited as

detrimental to morale:

• unfavorable promotion

status;

• a pervasive feeling that 

the dental corps was dominated by the medical component; and

• many officers had

served in “amalgam mills.” 

The issues were still a concern 

when the AF Dental Corps was

established years later in 1949.

The “promotion situation”

would improve. In 1945, less

than 15 percent of the dental officers were above the rank of

captain as compared to physicians, of whom 30 percent were

majors or higher. In 1949, 40

percent of the dental officers in

the Air Force were above the

rank of captain. Legislation in

1952 also allowed for dentists to

be commissioned as captains.

The “domination” issue arose

from the administrative policy

that dental commanders were

subordinate to medical commanders at each base, and received their promotion reports

from them. Most medical commanders allowed their dental

groups to function without too

much interference from the hospital, however, the unfortunate

reality was that far too many

situations existed where the

medical commander undermined

the authority of the dental commander in supervising his own

personnel. In 1944, the American 

Dental Association (ADA) introduced legislation that would give

“autonomy” to the Dental Section, 

not necessarily total independence, 

but more communication and control of dental affairs from the Dental Section of the Surgeon General’s Office (SGO). In 1950, the

ADA again tried to help by introducing the following resolution to

the Armed Services Committee:

“Whereas dentistry is a distinct

and separate profession, supported 

by its own state and national organizations and no other profession or administrators are qualified 

to direct, supervise, or evaluate

dental services, including public

health dental programs, except a

dentist.” 

In 1951, Air Force correspondence from the Dental Division of

SGO to the Resource Analysis Division concerning management

improvement stated, “management 

and control of dental matters by

the dental profession is imperative,

and compromised under the existing outmoded administrative structure.”

The Air Force Organization Act

of 1951 credited “the Dental Service within the USAF as a separate

service” and that “its activities prescribe that professional control,

supervision, and staff representation be through dental personnel.”

In the field, the dental supervisor 

would be responsible to the commanding officer of the air establishment including the medical

components, but would handle all

operations pertaining to dentistry

and the personnel assigned to it. 

In essence, the Base Dental Surgeon 

was supportive of the Hospital Commander, but his chain of authority

came from the Dental Division at

SGO.

Air Force Dental leadership felt

educational opportunities would best 

deal with the grievance of the

“amalgam mill,” also referred to as

the “lead line.” Progress obviously 

takes time, and the officer fresh out

of school usually does do a lot of operative dentistry, but the opportunity

for further education as a general

rule within the Air Force Dental

Service has been encouraged. Additionally, in time, as more specialists

became available, many clinics provided in house training and rotations 

to the general dentist allowing each 

dentist to treat a wider range of patients. The evidence indicates some

improvement early on. In 1953, the 

Inspector General reported to the

Command Surgeon’s Conference 

that “high quality professional service” was being provided, and that

“outmoded production line dentistry

had been eliminated.”

PROMOTION, DENTAL AUTONOMY, AND THE AMALGAM MILL

“Whereas dentistry is a distinct and separate profession, 

supported by its own state

and national organizations

and no other profession or

administrators are qualified

to direct, supervise, or evaluate dental services, including 

public health dental programs, except a dentist.”
18

ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT

1949-1996

During WWI the Dental Section

was under the Personnel Division

of the Office of the Surgeon General, and it was not until WWII

that the Army Dental Corps attained more autonomy.

In 1949, the Dental Division

at USAF HQ, SGO consisted of

two branches: Research & Statistics and Plans & Training. That

changed in 1950 when the Korean 

War necessitated a rapid expansion in the number of Air Force

dental personnel. In 1951, the renamed Dental Service consisted of

four divisions: Professional;

Plans, Policy, and Training; Dental Facilities, Equipment, and Supplies; and Preventive Dentistry and 

Research.

In order to better represent

the enlisted personnel at the highest level, the position of Dental

Enlisted Affairs was created in

1980 within the HQ of the AF

Dental Service in Washington. 

A three week Officers’ Basic

Military Training Medical Course

was established in 1951, at Gunter 

AFB, AL, for dental officers coming on extended active duty. Basic 

military skills and officership, including career development was

introduced. An overview of dental 

services, health records, and patient administration was also provided. During the 1980s, Medical 

Readiness Training was added to

the curriculum, exposing the dental officer to life saving techniques 

during field and combat operations. The course relocated to 

Sheppard AFB from 1966 to 1991, 

and is now back in Alabama.

A Base Dental Surgeons’ Course

began in 1953, as well as a Dental 

Staff Officer Course in 1966, both 

to improve the administrative aspects of the Dental Service. In 1996, 

a Dental Squadron Administrative

Workshop was initiated to develop

officers and NCOs for flight leadership positions.

Current Organization and

 Professional Development

The Assistant Surgeon General 

for Dental Services for the Air Force 

is assisted by a staff of four dental

officers. They help operate the Dental Service on the principle of

“management by objectives.” All

plans, policies, and programs are

established as objectives in order to

accomplish the dental support of the 

Air Force mission. Within the organizational framework, Command

Dental Surgeons attached to each air 

command serve as an operational

link to the base dental surgeons on

the working level, who are responsible for the implementation of programs. At the base level, the dental

component is also part of the medical team with the goal of total patient care. In this sense, the base

level dental commander has a vertical chain of authority from Washington, as well as a horizontal chain 

in support of the medical mission. 

The general practitioner provides

the bulk of dental care, supported by 

a foundation of experienced dental

staff officers as well as specialists in 

the various fields of the profession.

Specialty care is readily available

through a military consultant program or referral to a regional hospital. Since its inception, the Dental Service has sought to provide

care on an equitable basis worldwide as the best means to support

the versatile needs of the Air

Force. In essence, Air Force personnel are to have access to dental 

care regardless of where they are

on duty. The Air Force has done

well in honoring this goal

throughout its 50 year history.

Both officer and enlisted dental

personnel are provided opportunities for professional and military

service development. These include in-house training programs,

continuing education courses, professional military coursework, and

post-graduate residency programs

at civilian and military installations.

 Career dental officers are

strongly encouraged to participate

in the same military professional

coursework as their fellow pilots 

and line officers. Most Air Force

dentists in supervisory positions

have completed Air Command and 

Staff College, as well as the challenging Air War College, the same 

studies required of other Air Force 

colleagues as higher rank is attained. This helps to better appreciate the overall Air Force mission.

The four divisions within the Dental Service in the 

early 1950s were:

1. Professional

2. Plans, Policy, and Training

3. Dental Facilities, Equipment, and Supplies

4. Preventive Dentistry and Research
19

USAF DENTAL OFFICER INSIGNIA

In 1955, the USAF Medical Service authorized badges to be worn by its 

different divisions. The Dental Badge, originally consisted of a shield with a 

superimposed “D,” and in the 1960s a star was added on top for dental graduates of long term specialty training. The scroll was added later for those who 

were board certified, as well as dentists who had served in Air Force 

administrative positions for ten years. Today, any dental officer with 15 years 

of uniformed service may wear the badge and scroll.
20

LEADERSHIP

tal Association in 1955.

During the late 1950s and

early 1960s, Generals Cathroe,

Harlan, and Dunn placed much

emphasis encouraging Air Force

dental officers to seek postgraduate training. Consequently,

the residency programs at Lackland AFB continued to expand. 

The word to describe Maj. Gen.

Maurice Harlan may be 

“education,” as he had been head 

of the dental teaching facilities at 

Gunter AFB, Alabama, and

therefore had an inherent interest 

in promoting both officer and

enlisted educational programs. 

Brig. Gen. Benjamin Dunn

stressed quality dentistry, and

had “a passion for nurturing 

postgraduate dental training.” 

He was also credited with the

development of Area Dental

Laboratories. General Dunn died 

of cardiac arrest in 1966. Dunn

Dental Clinic at Lackland AFB

is named after him.

His successor, Maj. Gen. Lee 

Maj. Gen. Marvin E. Kennebeck

1952-1958

Maj. Gen. George R. Kennebeck

1949-1952

because of his own merit.” In the

fall of 1952, he was pleased indeed

to hear that his brother had been

selected to replace him.

Maj. Gen. Marvin Kennebeck is

remembered as promoting preventive dentistry, exemplified by his

pioneering the use of fluoridated water on Air Force bases, as well as

encouraging each base in initiating a 

Preventive Dentistry Program. The

numbers of dentists involved in oral 

research greatly expanded during his 

tenure. His office provided input

during a period in which many dental facilities were constructed. Perhaps he should best be remembered

for encouraging increased professional training of Air Force dental

officers. He expanded postgraduate

training courses by over 100 percent 

and set a goal of having 30 percent

of dental officers as specialists. 

Shortly before his retirement, residency programs at Lackland AFB

had indeed been started. General

Marvin Kennebeck also served as

vice-president of the American DenTHE GENERALS

Leadership is a key component

in any organization, and in large

measure, the Dental Service has

had its share of good leaders, including their staff officers. Maj.

Gen. George Kennebeck was gifted 

in organization and management

skills which were vitally necessary

during the turbulent first years of

getting the Dental Service started,

compounded with the onset of the

Korean War in 1950. He was

credited with promoting a high

state of morale among the Air

Force dental personnel.

Before retiring from office,

General Kennebeck received a list

of potential candidates to replace

him, one of which was his younger 

brother of eight years, Col. Marvin 

Kennebeck. General George Kennebeck retired in June 1952, prior 

to the board convening in July. He 

stated, “I don’t want anyone to

ever think I gave it to my brother. 

If he gets the position, it will be

Postgraduate education training opportunities for dental officers has remained 

very important to Dental Service leaders throughtout its 50 year history.

Maj. Gen. James S. Cathroe

1958-1960
21

Maj. Gen. Maurice C. Harlan

1960-1964

LEADERSHIP

Brig. Gen. Benjamin W. Dunn

1964-1966

for mid-career general dentists. The

TRICARE Family Member Dental

Plan, which had been sought after

for years by all branches of the military, began in 1987 shortly after his

retirement. General Sachsel expressed, “being a Chief of the Dental 

Corps is a very humbling experience 

given the fact that all of us have

great expectations and visions, but

those are tempered with the unfortunate reality that within the political

setting of Washington much energy

and time is spent defending all the

gains and accomplishments from

previous administrations.”

Maj. Gen Donald Butz would

indeed live that challenge as the

Dental Service entered in the 1990s. 

Also a strong advocate of dental

education with an favorable eye on 

his general dentists, he encouraged

them to keep pace with the rapid

changes in knowledge and technology facing the profession; he took

pride in stating “the dental corps

had done well in that regard.” However, he was also faced with a severe 

challenge of downsizing, as well as

competition to retain the two-star 

General Thompson was the only

Air Force dentist to have had a hospital named after him, at Carswell

AFB, Texas. When Carswell closed 

in 1995, the Air Force honored General Thompson by naming the dental 

clinic at Dyess AFB,Texas, on his

behalf. He was a native Texan.

Maj. Gen. Stanley Kolodny presided during the Reagan buildup and 

perhaps is most remembered for the

posturing of the Dental Service in

medical readiness, emphasizing 

medical emergency training of dental officers. His efforts reinforced

the fact that dentists are team players in the Air Force mission and

should not be overlooked as capable

of making significant contributions

in a mass casualty or wartime scenario. 

Maj. Gen. Arthur Sachsel, gifted 

with strong personal communication 

skills, had a passion for promoting the “value” of the dental officer 

to the Air Force mission. He was

also a strong advocate of readiness

training as well as postgraduate 

training evidenced by the formation

of the Advanced Dentistry Program

Lightner, promoted the use of the 

panograph on every inductee into 

the Air Force, a practice which

the civilian sector now embraces 

on first time visits by patients. 

He also encouraged the Air Force 

to utilize computers to assist front 

desk personnel in maintaining 

patient records and recall status.

General Lightner’s staff officers spent many hours meticulously writing criteria for dental

clinics and oral health standards.

in essence, the necessary manpower, treatment rooms and facilities required to provide adequate dental support of the Air

Force mission. Their efforts in

justifying the importance of the

dental mission were worthwhile, 

especially during the 1970s when 

Maj. Gen. Roger Hombs and Maj. 

Gen. Robert Thompson had to

“fight downsizing.”

Passage of continuation pay

for dental officers was a boon for 

the Dental Service during the

early 1970s, as was the formation 

of the Dental Investigation Service in 1976. 

Many programs that came to fruition under one staff in Washington are the 

result of hard fought struggles and foresight by previous administrations.

Maj. Gen. Lee M. Lightner

1966-1970
22

LEADERSHIP

Maj. Gen. Robert L. Thompson, Jr.

1975-1979

THE RANK OF THE 

ASSISTANT SURGEON 

GENERAL FOR DENTAL

SERVICES

In October, 1960, the Journal

of the American Dental Association reported that Thomas Powers, 

chairman of the Association’s

Council on Federal Dental Services, protested “the unfavorable

position of the Air Force Dental

Service as compared with those of

the other branches of the Armed 

Services regarding the rank of Major General,” and urged that legislation be submitted to insure parity. 

In 1963, Bill H.R.1700 was

introduced to Congress to increase

the efficiency of Air Force dental

care. Section 8082 of the bill outlined the specific responsibilities of 

the Chief of Dental Service and

stated, “an appointee who holds a

lower grade shall be appointed in

the regular grade of major general.” The bill was referred to the

Committee on Armed Services,

Maj. Gen. Roger Hombs

1970-1975

position that the Chief of the Dental 

Service had traditionally worn. This

had been a struggle for many years

previously.

“Consolidation” of the Department of Defense assets and promoting tri-Service joint programs has

been a big concern in the 1990s. 

Brig. Gen. Jerry Gardner and his

staff helped secure the School of

Healthcare Sciences at Sheppard

AFB, Texas, as the educational and

training facility of both dental assistants and laboratory technicians for

all Armed Forces enlisted personnel. 

The Navy had hoped for San Diego

to be their training facility, while the 

Army preferred Ft. Sam Houston.

The strong economy of the 1990s 

made private practice more attractive to graduates of dental schools

who often were heavily in debt. All 

of the military services began to

lose many young dentists after their 

first term. In order to meet the challenge of recruiting and retaining

dentists, Brig. Gen. Theodore

Almquist’s staff worked with sister

branches of the military in securing

congressional passage of the

“additional” and “special pay packMaj. Gen. Stanley C. Kolodny

1979-1982

Diligent efforts and documentation in justifying the importance of the dental contribution to 

the mission has been emphasized by dental leadership. 

ages” such as the $30,000 accession or sign-on bonus.

During the military cutbacks of 

the 1990s, it was difficult, but important, for Armed Forces dental

leadership to continually strive for 

retaining as many dentists in uniform as necessary to support the

military mission. There was a

strong push in Washington to outsource as much dental care to civilian dentists as possible; however, the concern was a possible

compromise of mission readiness.

Military dentists who are familiar

with the complexities of tracking 

and maintaining the oral health

needs of its mobile personnel know 

that it requires dentists in uniform 

treating patients in uniform to do

the job efficiently. General

Almquist successfully asserted that 

the USAF Medical Service commitment to “blue suit primary care 

for blue suiters” applied to dental

care as well as medical care.
23

the 1970s secured statutory two

star positions for both the Army

and Navy. The USAF Dental

Service throughout the years diligently tried to retain its tradition of 

having a Major General; however, 

the unfortunate reality is that during a period of downsizing, as during the 1990s, the competition for 

a reduced number of general slots

adversely affected the Air Force

Dental Service. General Butz was

informed his successor would not

be eligible for a two star position. 

Following General Almquist’s

retirement in 1998, a general officer was not chosen to follow him.

Col. Laurie N. Matiasevich, Jr.

filled the statutory position of Director of Dental Services. During

his tenure, diligent efforts by several of the retired AF dental leaders, as well as the ADA helped

secure congressional legislation

within the National Defense

Authorization Act of 1999. It now

requires at least a brigadier general 

to serve as the Assistant Surgeon

General for Dental Services.

.

which interpreted the bill as the

Air Force Dental Service striving

to be a separate organization. 

Their response was that the Dental 

Service in fact was functioning

well in their existing status within 

the Medical Service and ratifying

the bill would “create a separate

staff segment and additional administrative overhead.” Additionally the committee stated that the

present Assistant to the Surgeon

General for Dental Service was in 

fact a Major General. In essence, 

the Committee felt no changes

were necessary in the existing format whereby the Air Force Dental 

Service was serving well within

the organizational structure of the

Medical Services. Passage of the

bill failed, as well as acquisition of 

the statutory position of Major

General for the Assistant Surgeon

General for Dental Services.

In subsequent decades, the

question of the Air Force securing 

a Congressional statutory position

of Major General for the Dental

Service continued to resurface. 

Congressional legislation during

The unfortunate reality is that a lot of time and effort is utilized to prevent the loss of 

valuable things gained from previous administrations.

Maj. Gen. Arthur J. Sachsel

1982-1987

Maj. Gen. Donald J. Butz

1987-1993

LEADERSHIP

Brig. Gen. Jerry D. Gardner

1993-1995

Brig. Gen. Theodore C. Almquist

1995-1998

Col. Laurie N. Matiasevich, Jr., 

1998-
24

LEADERSHIP

In many respects, these same

challenges remain today and will 

persist into the twenty-first century. 

All organizations within the

Air Force voice concerns over

manning, and Dental Corps supervisors have most assuredly

fought in this arena. USAF leaders have to be reminded not to

overlook the importance of enlisted dental specialists to the

mission.. Enlisted personnel are

now evaluated for promotion by

dental supervisors, and the Air 

Force today has an established

“guarantee of promotion opportunity,” whereby each person

eligible for promotion only competes with others of the same

AFSC.

There had always existed

teamwork within individual dental clinics; however, in order to

increase the enlisted perspective

at the air staff level, the position 

of Chief of Dental Enlisted Affairs within the Dental Service

headquarters in Washington was 

created in 1980, CMSgt. Charles P. Kazmer being the first.

THE CHIEFS

The dental auxillary are the

backbone of the Dental Service

of the Air Force. The scope of

their duties include direct chairside assisting, fabrication of

dental appliances, scheduling of

patients, handling supplies,

equipment maintenance, records

upkeep, and the overall daily

operation of dental clinics. The

Dental Service could not operate 

without them.

Over 18,000 Army enlisted

personnel served in the Dental

Service during WWII. By the

war’s end, the following changes 

were needed:

*More assistants assigned

to dentists, thereby increasing the output of a dentist

upwards of 30 percent.

*Permanent assignment of

auxillary personnel to the

dental service. During the

war, dental enlisted personnel 

were not permanently assigned, and were often

transferred to other duties,

thereby decreasing the efficiency in operation of dental 

clinics. Generally speaking, dental officers felt they

should have had more control over their own people. 

*Increased promotion opportunity and evaluation by

dental commanders, not

medical supervisors. 

CMSgt. Charles P. Kazmer

1980-1984

CMSgt. Michael T. Goodrich

1984-1988

CMSgt. Stuart J. Weaver

1988-1991
25

LEADERSHIP

REFLECTIONS 

“WE ARE NOT AN ENTITY TO OURSELVES” — CMSGT. WALTER C. TIECK, JR.

 

The Chiefs in this position also believe one of their missions, so to speak, is to communicate that we in 

the dental enlisted component are not an “entity to ourselves.” It is important to remind Dental Corps people 

that we are a part of the Medical component as well as the Air Force. We do not just do specifically what we 

are trained to do within the dental environment. Only when we see ourselves in the bigger picture, and actively participate in the hospital and base setting, do we broaden ourselves and enhance our careers. When we 

do that we better support the Air Force Mission in terms of readiness as well as patient care. That idea is very 

hard for a first termer to grasp, as it was for me, and I suspect most of us. Understandably, we are anxious to 

do what we had just completed our training for, but it is important for supervisors to help their personnel see 

the bigger picture. If we can do this, I believe people will have a healthier identity with the uniform and in 

turn will see the military in a more professional sense, and it will be more inviting as a career. That also

places responsibility on this office as well as clinical supervisors, even the Air Force as a whole, to treat its

personnel as professionals. If we as Air Force leaders expect our people to be trained and hold themselves professionally, then we should strive to provide good facilities, pay, and benefits just as occurs in other avenues of 

the American workforce. If we do that, I think we can expect to retain more people when it comes to reenlistment.

CMSgt. Michael L. Roder

1991-1993

CMSgt. Dale P. Herman

1993-1996

CMSgt. Walter C. Tieck, Jr.

1996-1998

CMSgt. Arthur G. Kennedy

1998-

The Chiefs coordinate enlisted

training requirements, provide

guidelines for the proper mix of

staff to dentist ratios, and give 

direction on ways to improve

support staff functions at the

clinic level.
26

ENLISTED TRAINING

Air Force dental auxiliaries are 

utilized in three basic areas: Chairside Dental Assisting (Dental

Technician), Preventive Dentistry

(oral prophylaxis and hygiene instruction), and Dental Laboratory

Technology. 

 In 1949, the Air Force proposed the establishment of a school 

for training its own dental technicians. In the meantime, the sister 

branches of the service would assist in training Air Force dental

assistants. In July 1950, plans

were developed and implemented

to have the Navy train 350 enlisted 

personnel in increments of 50 a

month per twelve week class at the 

U.S. Navy Training Center, Great

Lakes, Illinois. A shortage of at

least 1300 dental technicians was

evident in 1950 and would persist, 

it was feared, due to the eruption 

of the Korean War in June 1950,

which had necessitated an expansion of all military services. The

first class of 43 graduated in October 1950. It was extended to 90 per 

class in 1951. 

Those personnel requiring

specialized training in laboratory

procedures were sent to several

Army and Navy installations, including the Medical Field Service

School, Ft. Sam Houston, Texas,

the Naval Dental Technicians

School, at Bainbridge, Maryland,

and the Naval Dental School, Bethesda, Maryland. These measures 

were insufficient, however, and in

1951, the Air Force contracted with 

the Institute of Applied Arts and

Sciences in Brooklyn, New York, to

provide 180 dental laboratory graduates from its thirty-six week course. 

On June 9, 1952, at Gunter

AFB, Alabama, the Air Force began 

to train its own dental auxiliaries. 

To give a perspective of the manning shortage faced by the Dental

Service, that same month, statistically, there were 2,251 dental airmen while requirements called for

“Commanders and manpower boards should be impressed with the fact that the maximum output of the 

dental officer can be accomplished only when a sufficient number of trained technicians is

 provided each dental officer.” 

USAF Medical Services Digest, Dec, 1950.

Dental Laboratory Technician Training at Sheppard AFB, Texas
27

ENLISTED TRAINING

3,892.

In 1967, the training of dental personnel was transferred

from the Medical Service School 

at Gunter AFB to the newly-built 

facility at Sheppard AFB, Texas. 

It was renamed the School of

Health Care Sciences (SHCS) in 

1971. That same year, the USAF 

Dental Services was the first of

the Armed Forces to have both

its dental laboratory and dental

assisting training programs approved by the American Dental

Association’s Council on Dental

Education. 

During the 1970s, the Air

Force did have an intensive

teaching program for “expanded

duty dental assistants” trained to

do reversible dental procedures

such as placement of fillings,

rubber dam application, cementation of crowns, and so forth;

however, that has since been discontinued.

By the time of its silver anniversary in 1974, the Air Force 

had graduated close to 10,000

enlisted personnel from its training programs that had begun in

1952. 

The training and career progression of dental personnel is a combination of formal instruction at Sheppard's SHCS as well as on-the-job 

training in Air Force dental facilities. The actual training routes

available to individuals have

changed some over the years, but

remain structured to a “three level”

tier process of achievement. The 

first step is called the “three level,”

while the “five level” is the second

plateau, followed by the “seven

level,” or third level of achievement. 

There is also a “nine level” designated for senior non-commissioned 

officers.

Completion of basic training at

Lackland AFB is followed by

graduation from a nine-week training course at Sheppard AFB. All

education coursework at Sheppard is 

accredited by the American Dental

Association. Graduates are referred

to as dental technicians and ready to 

chairside assist in dental facilities. 

At this point, students have now

“The Air Force Dental 

Service was first among 

the Armed Services to 

have both its dental 

laboratory and dental 

assisting training programs approved by the 

Council on Dental 

Education of the 

American Dental 

Association.”

USAF Medical Services 

Digest, Dec, 1971.

Red Cross Training at Dyess AFB, Texas. 

There are currently about 230 volunteer

Red Cross trainees within AF clinics

worldwide.

On-the -job training in radiology at Lackland AFB, Texas
28

ENLISTED TRAINING

MASTER DENTAL BADGE

(Senior Dental NCO’s)

Worn by senior ranking NCO’s who have 

completed “9 level” training.

BASIC DENTAL BADGE

(Dental Apprentice)

Worn by all enlisted dental 

personnel who have completed 

“3 level” training.

SENIOR DENTAL BADGE

(Dental Craftsman)

Worn by non-commssioned dental officers 

who have completed “7 level “ training.

completed their “three level”

training.

While at their first clinic

assignments, dental airmen are

enrolled in a Career Development Course where they are progressively tested in dental aptitude, knowledge, skills, attitude,

and professionalism while performing their assigned duties. 

After about eighteen months of

on-the-job training, the dental

airman has attained the second

plateau of his training referred to 

as the “five level.”

Close to the end of three

years, the opportunity to crosstrain into other jobs within the

Air Force is offered. Most dental 

enlisted personnel are senior airmen by this time. At this point, 

if one elects to stay within the

dental field, he or she can chose

to enter dental laboratory training and attend a six month

course at Sheppard. On the

other hand, those who elect to

stay with dental but not in the

laboratory arena can apply for

the advanced oral hygiene course 

taught at Wilford Hall, graduating as “preventive dentistry technicians.” For those electing to

stay within the dental field, at

the four year point of their career 

they are usually SRA or SSgt.

Within a few years, and

prior to promotion to TSgt., nonThe School of Health 

Care Sciences at

 Sheppard AFB is 

known to many as the 

“schoolhouse.”

USAF DENTAL ENLISTED INSIGNIA
29

ENLISTED TRAINING

Dental assistant training, Sheppard AFB, Texas.

commissioned dental people position 

themselves for career progression by

being selected to attend the sevenlevel dental craftsman course at

Sheppard. The training received

there helps in preparation for middle 

management positions within Air

Force dental clinics. Examples of

dental NCO seven-level positions

include front desk managers, equipment and supply managers, data and 

records coordinators, preventive

dentistry instructors, and so forth. 

Both laboratory technicians and

chairside technicians are encouraged 

to develop management skills as this 

is where higher promotion opportunities exist. Most senior NCO managers within dental clinics are “nine 

levels,” usually SMSgt. The few individuals who attain the rank of

CMSgt. generally serve at larger facilities. 

The School of Health Care

Sciences at Sheppard AFB, referred to as “the schoolhouse,” has 

provided coursework for many

years. In addition to dental assistant and dental lab tech coursework, preventive dentistry training 

(prophy tech) was at Sheppard for 

many years, as well as orientation 

courses for USAF commissioned 

health care officers. Col. Harold H. 

Biddle served as commander of the 

school in the early 1980s, the first 

time in the school’s history a dental officer was selected to do so. 

During the downsizing of the

1990s, the Armed Forces were

tasked with consolidating between

the sister services as many training 

programs as possible. Today, the

staff of the Interservice Training

Review Organization (ITRO) at

Sheppard annually graduates about 

As of 1997, technician training for all enlisted dental personnel of the Army, 

Navy, and Air Force is conducted at Sheppard AFB, Texas.

1300 dental technicians and 150

dental laboratory technicians. The 

Air Force was honored when

Sheppard’s SCHS was selected to

train dental enlisted personnel for

all the Armed Services. This, in

reality, was a result of many good 

years of teaching curriculum, instructors, and facilities at Sheppard AFB.
30

OFFICER TRAINING

The opportunity for advanced

training within the USAF Dental

Service has always been available

and strongly encouraged by its

leadership. Early on, several avenues existed such as the sixteenweek Advanced Dentistry Course

at the Army Medical Service

Graduate School in Washington

DC, attended by 21 USAF dental

officers from 1949 to 1951. During that same time interval, three

dental officers received advanced

training in oral surgery, one in

bacteriology, and seven in prosthodontia. The length of training

time for these residencies varied

from nine months to two years.

Five of the residents occupied positions as Professors of Military Science and Tactics as their primary

duty at their respective teaching

institutions. Additionally, nine

reserve dental officers completed

one year internships at various

Army General Hospitals. 

The residencies and internships

listed above remained in place

while plans were being set forth to 

expand training in all phases of

clinical dentistry. Col. Walter R.

Rueter, in 1951, coordinated with

civilian institutions as well as

Army and Navy teaching hospitals 

for the establishment of postgraduate course allotments for Air Force 

dentists. Fifteen spaces were initially allocated for the Air Force

regarding dental subspecialties: 

nine in prosthodontics, two in

oral surgery, two in periodontics, 

one in orthodontics, and one in

oral research. Twelve short

courses (less than three month’s

training) were to be established: 

four in prosthodontia, five in

periodontia, one in oral surgery,

and two in oral research. The

numbers of these allocations

would remain in place until the

mid-1950s, at which time the Air 

Force would begin training many 

of its own dental specialists.

From early on, leadership within 

the Dental Service had laid a

solid foundation for higher dental education, and the fruits of

these efforts would soon be realized with some of the most respected dental specialty teaching

programs offered anywhere in

the world.

In 1954, Maj. Gen. Marvin Kennebeck set a goal to have 30 percent of its officers be specialists, 

with the approximate ratio: 10 

percent in oral surgery, 10 percent in prosthodontics, 9 percent 

in periodontics, and 1 percent in 

orthodontics and oral pathology. 

All of the military services 

needed more trained specialists,

and since they were unable to

recruit the necessary numbers, it

was assumed that establishing 

more training programs within

military hospitals would help the 

situation. Since none existed for 

the Air Force, this meant taking

initial steps in that direction.

In March 1954, the American

Dental Association’s Council on

Dental Education held a workshop concerning the educational

requirements of dental specialty

boards. Col. John K. Sitzman represented the USAF Dental Services 

Division in requesting that

“properly staffed and equipped

military dental clinics be approved

as teaching centers,” whereby

American board-certified military

specialists “would be in a position 

to disseminate knowledge to great

numbers of young graduates rotating through the military services.”

At that time, there were a little

over 200 USAF dental specialists;

however, it was estimated that another 370 were needed.

Implementation of internships and 

residencies began at the Lackland

Hospital Dental Clinic in September 1956. They were approved for 

accreditation by the American

Dental Association on June 5,

1958. Simultaneously, Air Force

dentists continued filling residencies at civilian schools and military hospitals.

The Dental Director at Lackland

was Col. Wilbert A. Schroeder and 

his assistant, Maj. Henry L. Copeland, was the Education Director.

The directors of the specific residencies included Kenneth D. Rudd 

in prosthodontics, Jules D. Kartman in periodontics, and Richard

In 1954, General Marvin 

E. Kennebeck set a goal 

to have 30 percent of the 

dental officers as trained 

specialists.

“Military dental clinics 

as teaching centers 

would be in a position to 

disseminate knowledge 

to great numbers of 

young graduates rotating 

through the

 military services.”

A NEED FOR MORE SPECIALISTS
31

OFFICER TRAINING

Kelly Field of the Army Air

Forces located on the western area 

of San Antonio witnessed a large

growth in facilities construction

beginning in 1941 while serving as 

a training center for aviation cadets. By war’s end, the hospital

had grown to a 1200-bed complex. 

In 1946, the Army Air Forces established Kelly Field as their central military training center, and in 

1947 named the newly completed

facilities immediately adjacent to

Kelly as Lackland AFB. 

Thousands of recruits required 

urgent dental care while completing their training at Lackland.

During the Korean War, the hospital complex served as a major debarkation point for returning casualties. By the end of the war,

Lackland had established itself as

a major medical center providing

specialty care in support of over a

dozen Air Force installations located in the Southwest.

In 1954, Air Force Surgeon

General, Maj. Gen. Dan C. Ogle,

authorized construction of a new

hospital at Lackland with a goal

that it would become the center of

medical education and research for 

the Air Force. Lackland Training

Center became the “Gateway to the 

Air Force,” serving large numbers

of young troops coming on active

duty. By the early 1960s, the

Lackland institution had established medical and dental residencies in most major specialties

within both professions. The

Lackland hospital was named Wilford Hall (WHMC) in 1963 in

honor of one of the Air Force’s

distinguished physicians.

MacKown and Dunn dental

facilities at Lackland are two of the 

largest clinics in the Air Force,

providing care to large numbers

of inductees and retirees while

also serving as a referral center. 

USAF dental instructors working 

in conjunction with the University of Texas Dental School at

San Antonio have established a

reputation for having some of the 

most respected postgraduate

training programs in the world. 

The dental training and residency programs at WHMC established a standard whereby education and quality patient care are

now intertwined in accomplishing

the mission of the Dental Service.

Wilford Hall is affectionately known as “Big Willy” to many blue suiters. The Medical and 

Dental facilities at Lackland AFB house the largest postgraduate dental education 

component within the Department of Defense.

PROGRAM ESTABLISHED GRADUATES

(As of 1999)

Periodontics 1956 134

Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery 1956 91

Prosthodontics 1957 75

Dental Rotating Internship 1959-1972 171

Dental Laboratory Officer Course 1959-1978 21

General Dentistry 1967 140

Endodontics 1970 54

Maxillofacial Prosthetics Fellowship 1984 12

Hospital Dentistry Fellowship 1985 11

Orthodontics 1997 4

WILFORD HALL DENTAL RESIDENCIES

WILFORD HALL 

MEDICAL CENTER
32

OFFICER TRAINING

The educational staff at Wilford Hall by the early 1960s had

grown to over a dozen. Instructing the oral surgery, periodontics,

and prosthodontics involved the

bulk of their efforts, but additionally, for several years, they had

already directed a number of short 

term postgraduate training courses 

in all disciplines of dentistry

which ranged in duration from

two to eighteen weeks. A rotating 

Dental Internship Program was

begun in 1957, the early precursor 

of today’s comprehensive General

Dentistry Residencies.

 Today’s mission of the dental

staff at WHMC has not changed

much since the early days. It still

involves maintaining the oral

health of all military personnel to

ensure wartime readinesss, providing advanced education through 

residency and fellowship programs 

including short term coursework,

and providing training of selected 

enlisted personnel in specific

coursework such as the Advanced

Oral Hygiene Course currently

taught at Dunn Dental Clinic. 

Today most other advanced training of enlisted dental personnel is

done at Sheppard AFB, Texas. 

Patient care remains the primary

mission, while providing 85 percent percent of the postgraduate

dental training offered by the Air

Force.

The hospital-based dental components in the main medical facility

house the Oral and Maxillofacial

Surgery Residencies as well as the 

Hospital Dentistry section, which

overviews a fellowship program

within its section.

MacKown Dental Clinic,

which opened in 1965 immediately 

adjacent to the hospital complex,

houses the dental specialty training 

of prosthodontics, periodontics,

and endodontics. This was the

first AF facility to be named in

honor of one its own dentists, Col. 

John L. MacKown, a respected

oral surgeon and WWII veteran

who had died the year before while 

still on active duty. At the time it 

was the largest dental facility in

the world, with 52 treatment 

rooms and a large dental lab serving as a world-wide consultation and 

referral center for complex dental

treatment. 

Within the prosthodontic section, a

Maxillofacial Prosthetic Fellowship

was established in 1984 utilizing the 

skills and materials within the dental lab to help in the fabrication of

cleft palate obturators, as well as

artificial ears, eyes, and so forth for 

medical patients.

The tens of thousands of inductees

that enter through Lackland receive

their dental processing during basic

training, and those with significant

oral disease are further evaluated. 

Recruits can be placed on a dentalhold status if immediate needs require treatment prior to being sent to 

their first assignment. Much of the

work is accomplished at Dunn Dental Clinic, which opened in 1980,

and is now the largest of all AF dental facilities. It was dedicated on

behalf of Brig. Gen. Benjamin W.

Dunn, who died in 1966 while serving as the Assistant to the Surgeon

General for Dental Services. He had 

also served as head of the Prosthodontic department at Lackland in the 

late 1950s and was noted to have

been an esteemed advocate of postgraduate education. The two year

General Dentistry Residency is

taught at the Dunn facility, as well

as an Orthodontic Residency which

began in 1997.

All Air Force enlisted personnel 

receive dental processing at Lackland 

AFB while completing basic training.

MACKOWN AND DUNN DENTAL CLINICS
33

OFFICER TRAINING

mat encompasses the broader perspective of comprehensive clinical

dentistry which better supports the

needs of AF dental clientele.”

In 1967, the AF initiated the

two year General Dental Residency 

(GDR) Training Program at Lackland AFB under the direction of 

Ovide R. Leonard. It continues to

this day, as well as the two year

GDR Program offered at Keesler 

AFB, Mississippi. The two programs combined currently graduate about sixteen dental officers a

year. A strong didactic and research component strengthen an

excellent clinical program to produce exceptional general dentists. 

Numerous articles on the cutting

edge of dentistry have been published in nationally esteemed journals by AF GDR graduates. Several nationally recognized dental

school professors are former AF

GDR graduates. All USAF postgraduate GDR programs are routinely rated as “outstanding” by the 

American Dental Association Accreditation Council. 

GDR students are selected from

the Air Force Dental Corps, and

their training better equips them to 

serve at smaller bases and to support special readiness requirements. They also serve within

larger clinics where they are often 

instructors and mentors for

younger dentists. Their education

also prepares them for academia

and managerial positions. The excellence of the training is exemplified by the fact that almost 85 percent percent of GDR graduates are 

board-certified.

HOSPITAL

DENTISTRY

An important link between

general dentistry and hospital

medicine that has slowly evolved

through the years is hospital dentistry. Beginning in 1985, at

WHMC, John Warnick and James 

P. Summit initiated a two year

Hospital Dentistry Fellowship for

board-certified graduates of comprehensive dentistry programs. 

All eight of the graduates of the

program have passed the fellowship exam of the American Academy of Hospital Dentistry. The

national pass rate is about 30 percent . 

There are currently eight hospital dentists in the Air Force uniform serving at each of the major

regional hospital centers. They are 

called upon to provide consultation 

and dental care for patients undergoing major medical care and long 

term therapy such as cancer treatment. The dental care is helpful in 

preventing infections and complications. Hospital dentists are also

called upon to treat patients in

need of care that are otherwise unmanageable in the normal dental

environment, such as adult handicapped patients. Col. Steven J.

Nevins, current director of the program at WHMC, states, “Hospital

dentistry requires much patience

and is extremely challenging, but

can be very rewarding.”

GENERAL

DENTISTRY

In order to better support the

worldwide health mission, it was

prudent for the Dental Service to

have an increased number of more 

highly trained general dentists

throughout the AF, especially at

remote AF installations and

smaller bases. Such training not

only enhances the quality of patient care, but helps the practitioner to realize his limitations and

know when to refer to specialists.

 In the late 1950s, short term

general dentistry coursework was

available at Lackland, as well as a 

one year Dental Rotating Internship Residency taught from 1957

to 1972. The one year program

was designed to improve the diagnostic and clinical skills beyond

those provided by dental school,

basically, a fifth year level of training. By the late 1960s, Lackland

and other AF dental facilities had

one year General Practice Residencies (GPR). The AF currently provides one year training programs

at nine AF clinics, annually graduating over 40 residents. The AF for 

years has been competitive in recruiting the top graduates of dental 

schools.

During the 1980s, all Air Force

GPRs were converted to a one year 

Advanced Education in General

Dentistry (AEGD) Residency. 

Many GPR programs at civilian

institutions orient their programs

to specific strengths such as hospital training, implantology, or treatment of patients with special

needs. The current director of the

General Dentistry Programs at

WHMC, Col. Steven D. Westbrook, points out, “The AEGD forOver 40 percent of Air Forece general dentists 

have had at least one year of advanced training.
34

OFFICER TRAINING

One of the most esteemed postgraduate programs within the dental profession is the Prosthodontic

Program at WHMC. Much of the

credit is due to a solid foundation

laid in the 1950s under the direction of Kenneth D. Rudd.

A two year prosthodontic program 

began in 1957; however, by 1964 it 

had evolved into a three year program, a standard the ADA followed many years later. The Air

Force also established prosthodontic residencies at Andrews AFB

and Wright-Patterson AFB from

1965-1973 with each graduating

seven. About 140 prosthodontic

graduates have passed through the

halls of Wilford Hall. Additionally, approximately 120 prosthodontists received Air Force sponsored training in other institutions. 

One key point is that over 70 percent of AF prosthodontists are

board-certified as compared with

less than 25 percent of prosthodontists in the civilian sector.

Many that have retired from the

AF have held prominent teaching

positions within dental school faculties throughout the country.

Short-term Postgraduate Prosthodontic Coursework also began in

1957 at WHMC. The courses have 

ranged from several weeks to several months duration. They are

unparalleled from a training perspective.

As of 1999 both the Prosthodontic 

and Macillofacial Prosthetic Residencies at WHMC were rated as

“outstanding” by the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation. 

REFLECTIONS

 “ANYWHERE BUT LACKLAND”

COL. KENNETH D. RUDD: FATHER OF AIR FORCE PROSTHODONTICS

After serving with the Army as a dental officer in WWII, I separated, but returned to active duty with the Air 

Force in 1953. Prior to entering the Air Force, I had completed some prosthetic training and was sent to Gunter AFB, which at that time was the School of Health Care Sciences for the Air Force. While there, I taught 

dental laboratory technology. For my next assignment they asked where I wanted to be stationed. I said,

“anywhere but Lackland,” as that base had a reputation of being a “denture mill” because many of the basic 

trainees were in need of full mouth extractions. Well, you guessed it, I was sent to Lackland, and stayed there 

for almost ten years. The Air Force was wise to concentrate the various residencies at one installation thereby 

allowing a greater sharing of information. We had a lot of support from the “head shed,” and I believe we

were very progressive at Lackland as well as for Air Force dentistry as a whole. My perception was that the 

Air Force did not over focus on production and recognized that training takes time. That philosophy served 

our program well at Lackland.

FOOTNOTE:

The Prosthodontic Program at Wilford Hall Medical Center as well as the USAF Dental Laboratory System 

that Col. Rudd helped establish remain second to none. The residency has yielded more Diplomates of the

American Board of Prosthodontics than any in the country. One of those graduates, Col. Robert L. Engelmeier, (Ret) had an article published in the July, 1997 issue of The Journal of the History of Dentistry titled 

“A Brief History of Air Force Prosthodontics.” It was well researched and credits Dr. Rudd with being “The 

Father of Air Force Prosthodontics.” Dr. Rudd’s son, Col. Robert W. Rudd, became an Air Force prosthodontist and served as a Consultant For Dental Laboratories to the USAF Director of Dental Services.

PROSTHODONTICS

Col. Kenneth D. Rudd
35

OFFICER TRAINING

This subspecialty draws the

dental profession closer to our medical colleagues. The gifted individuals who work in this area must have 

a keen sense of ingenuity, innovation, and research ability. Problems

cannot always be approached with

conventional thought and means. 

Col. Rick M. Smith, current director 

of the program at WHMC points out, 

“This field is fun, but challenging as 

it requires revolutionary thought, not 

slow evolutionary change.” It supports patients in compromised situations in many ways. Artificial eyes,

ears, and noses for plastic surgeons, 

feeding devices, speech devices, custom ear plugs, face masks for pilots, 

and obturators for cleft palates are

only a few ways it bridges medicine 

and dentistry. 

The one-year Maxillofacial Prosthetic fellowship program at WHMC 

began in 1984 under the direction of 

Thomas L. Huff and has graduated

ten. Only prosthodontist may enter

such training. The Army has no

such program, and two Army prosthodontists have completed the residency at WHMC. Much of the research involves continually striving

to develop longer lasting prosthetic

materials, but the exciting thing at

MacKown Dental Clinic these days

is stereolithography. The facility was 

expanded to support this budding

technology that can indeed have a

revolutionary enhancement in operating room protocol. (See stereolithography in “Oral Research.”)

Dental Lab technician fabricating an artificial eye at MacKown Dental Clinic.

During the 1990’s, prosthodontists at MacKown 

Dental Clinic pioneered the use of stereolithography for medical and dental purposes. To date, they 

are the only hospital facility in the world to havedone so.

MAXILLOFACIAL

PROSTHETICS Air Force Dental Laboratory Management

In the early 1950s the Army and Navy trained Air Force dental

laboratory technicians and fabricated oral appliances for USAF

personnel. In 1952 the Dental Service began to train its own specialists and by 1956 the Air Force was handling its own laboratory 

needs. In order to increase quality control of technique sensitive 

dental castings such as chrome alloy removable dentures, as well

as consolidate recourses, the Air Force in the late 1950s established an Area Dental Laboratory System (ADL). These regional

labs support satellite bases and are managed by dental officers 

who have extensive prosthodontic training. Many were graduates 

of the Dental Laboratory Office Course offered between 1959 and

1978 at Lackland. All ADLs are now managed by board-certified 

prosthodontists. Their consultant and instructional guidance has

generated quality prosthodontic care for Air Force members.
36

OFFICER TRAINING

PERIODONTICS

There were only a few dental 

schools that offered advanced

training in periodontics when the

Air Force was created in 1949. 

By the early 1950s, a few periodontists were within the ranks of 

the Air Force including Timothy

J. O’Leary, Sam Hoskins, and

Jules D. Kartman. These men

established a periodontal residency training program at Lackland in 1957, the first within the 

armed services. By the mid1950s, there were still only a half 

a dozen institutions offering advanced degrees in perio.

The Air Force, as well as the

Army and Navy, realized they

would need to establish their own 

training programs to provide adequate availability of specialty care 

to personnel in uniform. As Col. 

Hoskins recalls, “There were not

a lot of periodontal residencies 

available during the early 1950s,

and I believe the Air Force may

have been the first of the Armed

Services to initiate one, that being 

in the ‘56, ‘57 time frame. The

Army and Navy soon followed.”

Course work started in 1957, 

graduating the first class of two

students in 1958. At that time,

only one year of training was required. The following year, the

curriculum expanded to two

years, one year of didactic at the

University of Texas Dental

School in Houston, (now completed 

at UT Dental School in San Antonio) and one year of clinical at Lackland. Col. Elmer W. Burnette, one

of the early two year students, summarized the workload: “I’m not

sure younger dentists know what the 

word ‘work’ really means.” He also 

added that for years if people asked

where one goes to get the best perio

training, the response was, “join the

Air Force and get a residency at

Lackland.”

In 1963, the periodontal program 

expanded to three years for three

primary reasons: 

♦ Increased knowledge of IV

and conscious sedation.

♦ Temporomandibular joint

diagnosis and therapy.

♦ Increased exposure to implant prosthesis.

Air Force periodontal researchers at Wilford Hall in the 1970s received the first federally funded implant program, the “vitreous carbon

study.” It was not until 1994 that

the ADA required all periodontal

programs to be of three years’ duration, something the AF had been

doing for 30 years. 

Close to 130 individuals have

completed the periodontal residency

at WHMC, of which six are female, 

the first two in 1987. Over 85 percent percent of the graduates are

board-certified compared to a national average of 25 percent.

 One graduate of the early 1960s

was Roland M. Meffert, current professor of periodontics at the UT Dental School in San Antonio. He served 

as president of the American Society 

of Periodontists. In an interview in

February 1996, Col. Meffert stated,

“Wilford Hall has for many years

had the best perio program in the

country, and I believe it remains so

to this day.” The ADA accreditation 

team that visited WHMC in November agreed. 

ORAL AND 

MAXILLO-FACIAL 

SURGERY

In 1959, WHMC graduated its

first two residents of the two year

oral surgery program under the

direction of Richard J. Burch. 

During the early 1950s, the Dental 

Corps not only placed residents in 

established residencies at civilian

and military institutions, but also

provided short term training

classes taught by nationally recognized civilian oral surgeons and

consultants such as Wilton W.

Cogswell of Colorado Springs,

Colorado.

The residency at WHMC expanded to three years in the early

1960s under Alex M. Mohnac, nationally known in his field for his

contributions to this specialty of

dentistry as well as his wartime

exploits. Having graduated oral

surgery training during the late

1930s, he soon joined the Army

and was stationed in the Philippines when the Americans surrendered to the Japanese in 1942. 

Surviving the “Bataan Death

March,” he served as camp anesthetist during his four years of internment. He was one of the original cadre of Air Force officers in

1949.

Col. Mohnac recalls that the

oral surgery program at Lackland

was the first to perform dentoalveolar and occlusal corrective

surgery in the maxilla. Mandibular sectioning and repositioning

had been going on for some time

but as he states, “I believe we were 

some of the first in the field to begin more definitive surgery techniques on the maxilla. They may

be common now, but not in the

The ADA credits the 

WHMC perio program 

as the “best” in the 

country.
37

OFFICER TRAINING

early sixties.”

The WHMC residency program also pioneered osteoradionecrosis treatment. In the early

1980s, Air Force dentist Robert E. 

Marx at WHMC worked with the

Hyperbaric Medicine Division at

Brooks AFB, Texas in pioneering

osteoradionecrosis treatment. Patients who undergo radiation treatment of the head and neck often

develop non-healing bone lesions

requiring extensive surgery to remove the necrotic bone tissue. His 

research showed that breathing

100 percent oxygen at depth

Col. Alex M. Mohnac

“Bataan Death March”survivor.

ENDODONTICS helped limit the extent of the necrosis, often making the necessary

surgery less radical, sometimes

even unnecessary.

 The Vietnam war increased

the Air Force’s need for oral surgeons. Training capability was

expanded in 1966 with a second

residency program at David Grant

Medical Center at Travis AFB. 

Col. Elliot Smart was the first program director. The program

boasted 100 percent board certification rate of its 45 graduates.

By the early 1990s, the specialty began training four year

residents now referred to as Oral

and Maxillofacial Surgeons

(OMS). During the 1990s, several 

residents participated in six-year 

programs attaining an M.D. degree, in addition to their oral surgery training. However, by the

year 2000, the program at WHMC 

will again be four years long.

The OMS residency at

WHMC is the largest in the federal 

services, and close to 90 graduates 

have thus far completed residencies at Lackland. The Air Force

currently has about 50 OMS doctors, of which 95 percent are

board-certified.

The American Dental Association accreditation site visit to WHMC in 

November, 1996, rated the residencies as the following:

Endodontic Residency “the perfect program”

Periodontic Residency

“The best”

Prosthodontic Residency “Outstanding”

Maxillofacial Prosthetics Residency“Outstanding”

General Dentistry Residency “Outstanding”

Footnote: The accreditation visit transpires only once every seven 

years. The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency as well as the 

Orthodontic Residency will have their accreditation visit in 1999.

It is not every day that a program 

receives a “perfect” rating by the

ADA Council of Accreditation. 

William G. Schindler, program

director in 1996, pointed out several reasons for the high accolades. 

“Residents of the program must

complete a heavy didactic and research component at the Endodontic Department of UT Dental

School at San Antonio prior to beginning a second year of clinical

training at WHMC. The studentto-staff ratio at Lackland is one-toone, and each resident has a full

time assistant. This is in contrast

to civilian institutions where the

resident often works without an

assistant. Compared with other

endodontics programs throughout

the country, this is an ideal program.” Several graduates now

holdprofessorships, such as William A. Walker at UT Dental in

San Antonio and Cecil E. Brown

at Indiana University School of

Dentistry. Denis E. Simon recently 

served as President of the American Association of Endodontics. 

Dr. Walker will soon serve on the

Board of Directors, while Dr.

Schindler will be on the editorial

staff for the Journal of Endodontics.

The program began in 1971 under 

John W. Myers. One of the early

directors, Steven E. Senia, after his 

military retirement contributed to

the profession with his development of the “light-speed” root canal handpiece. Several versions 

are on the market today, but his

conceptual design preceeded the

others. Within the specialty of endodontics, this was a revolutionary 

change. 
38

OFFICER TRAINING

CONSULTANT 

PROGRAMS

The Air Force Dental Service

utilizes three separate Consultant

Programs to help its dentists in providing quality dentistry to Air Force

personnel.

 

Civilian National Consultant 

Program

Civilian Dental Consultants have 

been utilized since the Air Force 

Dental Service was first established. 

The Army had laid the foundation

with the efforts of Col. Oscar P. Snyder (eventually Major General and

 Chief of the Army Dental Corps),

who envisioned Military Dentistry

could be “the best” in the world. 

He initiated the use of well

known dental educators to serve as

consultants to the Armed Forces.

The Air Force pursued the same policy and within a year of its inception, it had its first civilian consultant, Dr. C.S. Foster, appointed in

1950. He had been noted for his

long experience with the American

Dental Association. He was succeeded in 1952 by Dr. Kermit F.

Knudtson, a nationally recognized

oral researcher, as well as an early

aviation dentistry researcher within

The Orthodontic Residency

Program at WHMC was the first

“joint” military dental officer specialty training program, thereby

acquiring a notable place in the

annals of military dental history. 

Postgraduate programs within one

branch of the Armed Services have 

accepted dentists from sister services; however, the orthodontic program at WHMC was the first to

have staff from different military

branches.

For several decades, there were

approximately 28 Air Force orthodontists; however, in the 1990s,

that number declined to the present level of 21. With the program 

in place, it may help with the

shortage of needed orthodontists. 

The staff and residents consist of

Army and Air Force dentists

equally represented. The first class 

will graduate in 1999.

The Army Dental Corps began the 

first military orthodontic residency

in 1985, and soon had two programs, one at Ft. Meade, Maryland, and the other at Ft. Knox,

Kentucky. The number of Army

orthodontists increased to about 70 

in the early 1990s. Unfortunately, 

the budget cuts of the 1990s caused 

both programs to close by 1995. 

That year, Air Force Col. Marion

Messersmith, Special Consultant

in Orthodontics to the USAF Surgeon General, sought to establish a 

joint Army-Air Force residency. 

His vision quickly came to fruition 

with approval by the Army, Air

Force, and American Dental Association. The program began at

WHMC July, 1997, with AF dentist Erik Langsjoen as Chairman.

ORTHODONTICS PEDIATRIC 

DENTISTRY

Base Name Specialty

Andrews Maj. Francis J. Samaha Periodontics

Lackland Col. Alex M. Mohnac Oral Surgery

Lackland Lt. Col. Sam W. Hoskins Periodontics

Maxwell Maj. Charles J. Mahan Periodontics

Sheppard Lt. Col. Frank H. Ketchum Oral Surgery

Lackland Lt. Col. Kenneth D. Rudd Prosthodontics

Lackland Lt. Col. William G. Sprague Oral Pathology

FIRST AIR FORCE MILITARY CONSULTANTS, 1961

In the late 1980s, the first Air

Force Special Consultant in Pediatric Dentistry to the Assistant

Surgeon General for Dental Services was Elliot R. Schulman. He

has since been followed by Jeffrey

H. Camm and Nicholas J. Levering. Periodically over the years,

officers have been chosen for specialty training in this field to treat 

the family members of active duty

military personnel stationed overseas. In addition, medically compromised children have been

treated at our major medical centers. Throughout the years, the

Air Force Dental Service has averaged 16 pediatric dentists on clinic 

staff.

The Department of Pediatric Dentistry was formed at WHMC in

1993 to facilitate the treatment of

these special needs patients, as

well as support the curriculum of

the General Dentistry Residency. 

In general, however, the vast majority of the dental needs of dependents of the active duty populace are provided by the family

member dental insurance plan. 
39

Dental Investigation Service Col. Daniel L. Leonard

Dental Laboratories Col. Regan M. Salamander

Dental Public Health Lt. Col. Gary C. Martin

Education Col. Richard M. Faner

Endodontics Col. Steven R. Hansen

General Dentistry Col. Steven D. Westbrook

Pediatric Dentistry Col. Nicholas J. Levering

Periodontics Col. Michael P. Mills

Prosthodontics Col. Michael A. Mansueto

Oral And Maxillofacial Pathology Col. Craig B. Fowler

Oral And Maxillofacial Surgery Col. William L. Davenport

Orthodontics Col. Kirk D. Satrom

As of 1999 there were twelve military consultants to the USAF Assistant 

Surgeon General for Dental Services.

OFFICER TRAINING

the Army Air Forces. 

Dozens more were appointed

in 1952, including Dr. Wilton W.

Cogswell, who for many years

taught a highly respected short

term Oral Surgery Course in Colorado Springs, Colorado, starting in 

the early 1950s. Many Air Force

dental officers testified as to how

“ahead of its time” the course was

in Oral Surgery technique. He remained a consultant for many

years and received the Department 

of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service. Dr. Miles

R. Markley and Dr. Sumter S.

Arnim are two renowned experts

in their respective fields who

served as civilian consultants to

the AF Service for many years.

Consultants share their knowledge with the USAF Surgeon General as well as the dental commander at Wilford Hall on professional aspects of the various specialties. They not only visit and

correspond with Washington and

Lackland AFB, but also interface

with selected bases including overseas installations. For many years, 

they also provided input to oral

researchers at the School of Aerospace Medicine at Randolph AFB.

Consultants provide input to

Command Dental Surgeons Conferences and all Air Force teaching 

facilities with lecture sessions, 

teaching seminars, and occasional

patient interaction. During visits,

they assess the material, equipment, and professional standards

employed by Air Force clinics. By 

the early 1960s, the number of civilian consultants declined to six

because by that time, the Air Force 

had began depending more on its

own highly trained graduates of

residency programs at Lackland. 

Base Consultant Program

This program allows for Air Force 

personnel and their dependents to

receive essential dental care when

it was not available at a nearby

military installation and transportation to another facility would be

detrimental to the patient’s health. 

Government funds are provided

whereby civilian specialists, if

available in the local area, can be

utilized.

Military Consultant Program

With the establishment of residency training programs at Lackland in the 1950s, the opportunity

arose for the Dental Service to allow broader utilization of its own

Air Force dental specialists. The

result was greater access of patient 

care as well as increased consultation and teaching services to Air

Force general dental officers. The

Military Dental Consultant Program was initiated in January

1961. Specialists assigned to strategically located dental facilities

would semi-annually visit respective bases in their region. The referral process for special needs patients was expedited, and a greater 

avenue of information and communication with trained specialists

was available to the general dentists.
40

FACILITIES AND STAFFING

I n 1949 and 1950, the American 

Dental Association sponsored bills

to Congress calling for “more efficient dental care for the personnel

of the U.S. Army and Air Force,”

and for staffing that would approximate two dental officers for

every 1000 active duty persons. 

Most existing WWII dental clinics

were inadequate in size and functional capacity. Many contained

huge operating areas where as

many as a dozen or eighteen dentists worked side by side. Patient

privacy was compromised. Gen.

George Kennebeck’s office provided input for the new standard

design of the AF clinics, emphasizing that each patient was to be

treated in private, therefore, no

operatory was to have more than

one dental unit. Subsequent requirements for dental facilities established that there would be one

operatory for each dentist, as well

as one operatory per 1500 military

people to be utilized by hygienists. 

The initial strength of the Air

Force set by Congress in 1949 was 

502,000 with an approximate ratio 

of two dental officers per 1,000. In 

order to facilitate the procurement

of the necessary 1900 Air Force

dentists, the Senior Dental Program was initiated. To help with

Maj. Gen. Marvin Kennebeck cuts the ribbon for the opening of Bitburg AFB Dental Clinic 

in West Germany, July 21, 1953. USAFE Command Dental Surgeon Walter Reuter, right 

The plans for constructing 

new dental facilities emphasized each patient’s right to 

privacy in the dental operating room.

USAF Medical Service 

Digest, Feb 1953.

recruitment, beginning in 1962,

all dentists in the Air Force were 

commissioned as captains. Prior 

to this time, they entered the Air 

Force as first lieutenants.

A program for constructing AF

dental clinics began in early

1951, and by 1955, eighteen

clinics had been completed of the 

forty-seven authorized by Congress. Clinics of six or more operatories were to be housed in

separate dental facilities. In addition to new construction, many

of the existing Army air base

dental clinics were modified and 

used as much as possible. Dental 

prosthetic laboratories were to be 

established at AF bases in order

to relinquish need of Army dental labs.

By the late 1960s, modular casework guidance was advocated for 

dental treatment rooms, and by

the early 1970s, many Air Force

bases had dental facilities designed for four-handed dentistry

and centralized sterilization

rooms. Today, the Dental Investigation Service at Brooks AFB,

Texas, provides most of the guidance in facility construction or

remodeling. 

One important point to be high-
41

FACILITIES AND STAFFING

lighted is that the Air Force

throughout the years has diligently

sought to provide sufficient worldwide dental staffing to provide efficient dental care. For example, in 

theaters of combat such as Vietnam, the Air Force provided adequate ratios of dentists to troop

levels. The peacekeeping and humanitarian missions of today’s

armed forces are also adequately

supported with dental components.

Remote Air Force installations

such as the early aircraft warning

sites, were supported with mobile

dental clinics. These were developed by Sydney G. Gordon in the

early 1950s. He was also the first 

Air Force dentist to serve as Dental Surgeon of the Tri-Service 

Medical Board in Washington in

1963. 

During its first 25 years, there

were about 300 dental clinics, but

that number has steadily declined

since 1973. The highest levels of

dentists in the Air Force were at

the end of the Korean War and

during the height of the Vietnam

War. At those times, there were

approximately 2,000 dentists. Today shows the lowest numbers of

facilities, (currently 80) and dental 

personnel the Air Force has ever

had. As of 1999, there are approximately 1100 dentists, 2200

assistants, and 460 laboratory technicians. USAF leaders have tried

to adequately support the mission

during times of downsizing, such

as the 1990s, always concerned 

that insufficient manning would

jeopardize mission effectiveness.

Beginning in the early 1980s, with 

the Reagan build-up, there was

congressional concern about the

possibility of shortages of military 

dentists, and the feasibility of civilianizing dental care within military facilities. In fact, the Air

Multiple open room operatory, Sheppard AFB, Texas, early 1950s. Air Force clinics soon 

converted to single operatory treatment rooms

Mobile Dental Clinic developed in early 1950s for remote early aircraft 

warning facilities of Air Defense Command.
42

FACILITIES AND STAFFING

“The Air Force Dental Service must be capable of maintaining a person 

dentally fit for any duty regardless of where assigned; the Dental Service must 

operate on a program of equal distribution of worldwide facilities and staffs.”

Semi-annual History of Surgeon General’s Office, 1955

Force was able to recruit its

authorized quota of general dentists but still had trouble securing

the necessary numbers of specialists. To deal with the latter problem, the Dental Service increased

the number of general dentistry

residents whose advanced training

helped Air Force patients receive 

specialized care when needed.

To deal with the resultant

manpower shortage and not undermine the mission, the hiring of

contract civilian dentists was

authorized in 1986. By 1990, there 

were almost 100 employed within 

Air Force dental clinics., while

today there are approximately fifty. 

With the strong economy of the

1990s, dental school graduates

have sought the more lucrative civilian practice. Dental leaders in

Washington have struggled to

commission the necessary numbers of dentists to support the

mission, but articulate that both

medical and dental needs of the

Air Force clientele was best

achieved with “blue suit primary

care for blue suiters.” 

If one were to look at the 50-

year history of the Dental Corps, 

on average, there were at least

1500 dentists in uniform per

year. A conservative estimate

with that number would generate 

an annual production of four million patient visits and 16 million 

dental procedures. 

Air Force leaders have

continually communicated 

in the political arena that 

the best way to support the 

dental needs of the military 

is to have dentists in 

uniform.

Since its inception, the Dental

Corps has had necessary civilian

support within its facilities. Today 

there are about 45 hygienists, 150

dental assistants, 50 lab techicians, 

140 secretaries and typists, as well 

as several hundred Red Cross volunteers. The civilians can have a

strong influence on assuring

smooth day-to-day operations of

any given clinic. 

CIVILIAN SUPPORT

Dee Rollins of the Robert L. Thompson Dental Clinic at Dyess AFB, Texas, has given 

many smiles during her numerous years of helpful support.
43

FACILITIES NAMED IN HONOR OF 

USAF DENTAL OFFICERS

♦ MacKown Dental Clinic at Lackland AFB, Texas was dedicated in 1965,

and named after John L. MacKown, Jr., who had served as Base Dental

Surgeon at Lackland. Col. MacKown was one of the Air Force’s first and 

highly respected oral surgeons. He died on active duty in 1964. He had

served as a general dentist in the Army during WWII and completed oral

surgery training prior to becoming one of the charter members of the 1949 

Air Force Dental Service.

♦ Dedicated in 1977, Kiecker Dental Clinic at Seymour-Johnson AFB, North 

Carolina, was named in honor of Lt. Col. Paul L. Kiecker, killed by a

plane crash in Vietnam in 1967. At the time, he was Base Dental Surgeon 

of the clinic at Cam Rahn Bay.

♦ Dunn Dental Clinic at Lackland AFB was dedicated in 1980 for Brigadier

General Benjamin W. Dunn who died in 1966 while serving as Assistant to 

Surgeon General for Dental Services. He was regarded as an outstanding

prosthodontist and promoter of post-graduate training.

♦ Robert L. Thompson Dental Clinic at Dyess AFB, Texas, was dedicated in 

1996 to the late Major General, who served as Chief of the Dental Service 

in Washington from 1975-1979. He was the first Air Force dental officer

to have a hospital named after him, at Carswell AFB, Texas. When that

hospital closed in 1995, the dental clinic at Dyess was named in his honor.

FACILITIES AND STAFFING
44

OPENING THE RANKS

The emergency needs of World 

War I resulted in the first AfricanAmerican dentists being commissioned in 1917, in support of the

large influx of black soldiers. Approximately 250 black medical and 

dental officers served in the war. 

A majority of the dentists were

graduates of Meharry and Howard, 

both dental colleges for black students.

During World War II, about one

percent of the Army dentists were

of minority status, with 132 of

them being African-American. 

Unfortunately, tracing the history

and contributions of minority dentists to the Air Force is next to impossible. As of today, it is unknown how many black densts

have served in the Air Force, or who 

were among the first. Statistics as to 

the numbers of African-American 

Air Force dental personnel remain

unavailable. For many years, the

Armed Forces kept indexes of name

files, but by the time of the formation of the Air Force, a decimal system was in place which was not as

specific about a person’s background. As one Military Dental Historian working in the National Museum of Dental History implied,

“archival research is harder in the

post World War II years.... oral histories are the primary avenues of

documentation.”

Currently, about 12 percent of Air

Force dentists are minorities, with

blacks comprising about four percent.

Col. Hampton Green, Jr.

REFLECTIONS

“I Loved My Air Force Career.”

Col. Hampton Green, Jr.

In 1954, I entered the Air Force right out of dental school and served thirty years. I don’t know who the first 

African-American dentist was that wore the Air Force uniform. There were a few on active duty before me, such 

as B.C. Swayze, Francis Davis, Phillip Drake, Gene Derric0tte, and Dr.’s Simmons and Callion (I don’t remember their first names), and others whose names I don’t know. There were a number who became career officers, 

and obviously others that came in during the 1950s who served their one tour of duty. I’m not aware of the percentage of black dentists within the Dental Corps throughout those years, but I’m fairly sure I was among the

first to achieve full colonel in 1971, possibly the first. Col. Richard Ferguson came on active duty about the

same year as I and made full colonel about the same time. He was a graduate of Meharry Dental School, one of 

the oldest in the country graduating black dentists.

The important thing is that I can honestly say I enjoyed my whole career. I worked with great people, had 

good assignments, and there were always educational opportunities to further my dental knowledge and skills. I 

can’t think of any part that I have a desire to forget.

I take pride in the same things as other retired Air Force dentists. The fact that the Dental Corps provided 

superior dental care, always sensitive to their patient’s needs, and always supportive of the mission. When I visit 

the dentist now for my own dental needs, I’m reminded how Air Force dental researchers helped the profession 

in developing equipment, preventive measures, and so forth.

I became the base dental surgeon at Dover AFB in 1973 and remained in that position until 1981. That was 

the time females began to enter the Dental Corps. I had heard of Dr. Raya Rachlin in the early 1970s but cannot 

recall any other women dentists until the middle of the 1970s. We had several at the Dover Dental Clinic, and I 

believe the first to arrive at our clinic was around 1976. I gave them the same additional duties and responsibilities as any other junior dental officers, and they did very well. 

FOOTNOTE: Col. Green’s last assignment was at Malcolm Grow Medical Center, Andrews AFB, MD, where 

he served as Director of Dental Services before retiring in 1984.
45

OPENING THE RANKS

FIRSTS FOR WOMEN IN THE AIR FORCE DENTAL SERVICE

1953 Raya Rachlin, first woman to be commissioned into the USAF Dental Corps.

1983 Ellen M. Simmons graduated the two year General Dentistry Residency at WHMC. (Seven more have 

followed)

1985 Becky L. Gering, first woman selected as Base Dental Surgeon.

1987 Fay M. Fagley and Kathleen A. Lindell graduate Wilford Hall periodontic residency program. (Four 

more have followed)

1987 Susan L. Gream, first female dental enlisted person to be promoted to Chief Master Sergeant. (Five 

more have followed)

1993 Barbara G. (King) Bisang graduated prosthodontic residency at WHMC.

1994 Becky L. Gering and Ellen M. Simmons first women USAF dentists promoted to colonel (on the same 

date).

1997 Robin E. Hinricks graduated WHMC Endodontic Residency.

1998 Col. Susan J. Smythe, first female appointed to a Command Dental Surgeon position, Space Command, 

Peterson AFB, Colorado. 

1999 Rose M. Leary, current resident of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Program at WHMC. 

Three bills were introduced to

congress during WWII to allow

commissioning female dentists

into the Army, but none passed. 

Meanwhile the Navy did commission two women dentists during

the war. In 1949, the Army Medical Dept. Act was introduced, and

after passage the following year,

allowed the Army and Air Force

each 25 positions for female dentists. In 1951, the Army commissioned its first woman dentist. 

The first woman to serve as dentist 

for the Air Force was Raya Rachlin, who joined in July, 1953.

Although legislation in 1950 had

opened the doors, the reality is

that only four women had served 

as dentists in the Armed Services

up until the late 1960s. During the 

early 1960s, Maj. Rachlin was the

only female military dentist; however, the fact is, just over one percent of American dentists were

female until the early 1970s. By

1983, the number had increased to 

only three percent. There were not 

many women in uniform during

those years; however, in the late 

1970s and throughout the 1980s, 

about 10 percent of USAF dentists were women. Today about

36 percent of dental school applicants are female, and represent about 13 percent of the total 

number of American dental

practitioners. As of 1999, over 

13 percent of the USAF dental

officers are female.

Capt. Raya Rachlin CMSgt. Susan L. Gream Col. Becky L. Gering
46

PREVENTIVE DENTISTRY

Since the early years of its formation, the Dental Service of the

Air Force has vigorously pursued

preventive dentistry for its patient

clientele. General Marvin Kennebeck appointed Kenneth R. Elwell

as Chief of the Preventive Dentistry and Research Division in

1952. Col. Elwell initiated a preventive dentistry program that is

credited as the first to be officially

organized within the military services. It was incorporated into

every Air Force dental facility

worldwide. 

The following goals were established for the program: A minimum of one annual prophylaxis for 

each military person was to be accomplished; efforts were to be expanded to educate and promote the 

personal interest of airmen in daily 

oral hygiene; and each base would 

have an assigned Preventive Dentistry Officer, often the periodontist. 

In reality, the Air Force had already taken its first steps in preventive dentistry. USAF officer, 

Hubert Palmer, since 1949 had

been engaged in bacteriology research, a special study on caries

etiology at the Research School of

the Army Medical Center in

Washington DC, which the Air

Force stated was “most desirable in 

our preventive dentistry program.” 

Additionally, beginning in 1949, 

the Air Force sent hundreds of

dental airmen to the Great Lakes

Naval Training Center to receive

training in oral prophylaxis and by 

1952, over 1200 had graduated. 

The high incidence of oral disease 

among the young military troops

drove the need to educate them on 

simple preventive measures. In

1950, 90 percent of military recruits were in need of restorations, 

with each airman averaging eight

cavities. Approximately 30 percent 

required extractions, and 19 percent needed dentures. The oral

condition of the general populace 

was no better; however, because

personnel within the Air Force

require a high degree of oral

health, its dental workers were

tasked with a challenging workload. The profession as a whole, 

as well as the military, realized

preventive efforts had to be expanded. 

 The concept of fluoridating

water supplies as a preventive

measure also gained interest during the early 1950s. In October, 

1953, the Chairman of the National Research Council (NRC)

drafted a letter to the Surgeon By 1954, the Inspector 

General’s office 

reported that 90% of 

Air Force bases had implemented Preventive 

Dentistry Programs.

Medical Service Digest, 

June, 1955.

Prophylaxis Training at Sheppard AFB.

“The Preventive Dentistry Program is the

 cornerstone of Air Force Dentistry.”

Col. Bruce A. Matis

USAF Preventive Dentistry Consultant

to Surgeon General’s Office, 1988. 
47

Ramey AFB was the 

first U.S. military installation to fluoridate 

its water supply in 

Sept, 1954.

PREVENTIVE DENTISTRY

General stating that the Committee 

on Dentistry of the National Research Council “believes there is

sufficient evidence of the merits of 

fluoridation of public water supplies to justify its use on military

posts wherever feasible, and especially where there is a child population in residence.” 

This preventive dental concept 

had continued to gain respect for

some time. The USAF Surgeon

General’s Office approved a proposal to fluoridate the water supply 

of Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico, on

June 23, 1954, the first U.S. military base to do so. Carlos F.

Schuessler, the Base Dental Surgeon, was a well known oral researcher and had a keen interest in 

preventive dentistry. His efforts

were successful in helping this to

transpire. The number of Air

Force bases fluoridated rose to alsion on the benefits of stannous

fluoride. 

During the early 1960s, Col.

Harris was instrumental in having

the Air Force establish the position 

of Preventive Dentistry Officer

(also referred to as the Dental

Health Officer) for the Dental

Service. That individual at Brooks 

AFB, Texas, is responsible for supervising the USAF Preventive

Dentistry Courses held at that

base. Coursework started in 1964,

and continues to this day. 

Paul V. Sundberg, Jr. and

John E. Devlyn held the post during the sixties. They developed

training aids, films, and guidance

to expand preventive dentistry

awareness in all Air Force clinics. 

Eugene R. Muth helped initiate the 

Preventive Dentistry Specialists

Course for enlisted personnel at

Lackland AFB in 1967. The

course trained experienced dental

assistants to administer dental prophylaxis. It was taught for a number of years at Sheppard AFB, and, 

after several curriculum and location changes, returned to Lackland. It is now referred to as the

The USAF Preventive Dentistry Program established 

in the early 1950s, was the 

first officially integrated

 program of preventive 

dental services in the 

 Armed Forces.

Advanced Oral Hygiene Course. 

The curriculum trains experienced

dental assistants in dental hygiene

therapy, and has proved itself an

invaluable asset to the Dental

Corps.

Thomas Salimeno, Jr. served

as the Preventive Officer at Brooks 

from 1967-1975. He was noted to

have introduced the concept of

Plaque Control Centers within

dental clinics as educational tools

to the patients. He was followed

by Arden G. Christen and Albert

C. Jerman, who both encouraged 

community dentistry. The preventive dentistry efforts at Air Force

bases were to reach out in support 

of their local communities. Each 

Red Cross Volunteers assisting with Children’s Dental Health Month.

most 150 by the end of the 1970s. 

In the early 1950s, sodium fluoride was the principal anticariogenic agent used by the profession. By the late 1950s, Air Force

dental researchers at SAM began 

advocating the use of stannous

fluoride. This group included Vincent A. Segreto, Norman O. Harris, Warren R. Hester, Robert J.

Detamore, and Ira L. Shannon. 

Their efforts not only helped in the 

fabrication of various solutions, 

dentifrices, gels, and mouthwashes 

for Air Force use, but heightened

the awareness of the dental profes-
48

PREVENTIVE DENTISTRY

clinic was not only to have a Base

Preventive Dentistry Officer, but an

Assistant Preventive Dentistry Officer 

who would soon help in such activities 

as community health fairs, dental

health month, fabrication of mouthguards for athletic teams, and dental

prenatal classroom presentations.

During the late 1970s, the profession 

became more aware of safety within

the dental environment as well as dentistry’s increased role in the overall

health care assessment of the patient. 

Col. Christen’s leadership provided

guidance for Air Force dental clinics

to deal with mercury hygiene, eye 

protection, aerosols, noise control, stress reduction, accident

protocol, and occupational disease prevention. Air Force clinics began to initiate health

screening measures such as high

blood pressure determination,

tobacco education programs, cancer detection, and prophylactic

measures for medical conditions

such as rheumatic fever. By the

early 1980s, Air Force dental

clinics had environmental health

and safety officers. The numerREFLECTIONS

“THERE IS MORE TO DENTISTRY THAN JUST TREATING THE MOUTH”

COL. ARDEN G. CHRISTEN

Early in my Air Force career, I began to realize that we as dentists often tend to be over-focused on the

mouth, and get stuck in “tunnel vision.” I wanted to broaden my perspective, so I completed a two year oral 

diagnosis/oral medicine residency during the early 1960s. My training included preventive dentistry topics

which exposed me to community dental health issues. This was about the time that both medicine and dentistry 

became more aware of public health measures.

After my residency, I was sent to Lackland where I helped form the first general practice dental residency for 

the Air Force. Several well known national dental consultants such as Sumter Arnim and Miles Markley had 

provided tremendous input and emphasized that quality dentistry and preventive dentistry are one and the same. 

Teaching oral diagnosis made me ever mindful of the damage that tobacco does to the gingival tissue. I quit my 

own smoking habit cold turkey in 1968 but soon realized that some individuals needed extra help to break their 

habit. Very little had been written on the oral and systemic dangers of smoking and not many avenues were

available to help educate the public or help them stop smoking. By the early 1970s, I was writing and speaking 

against the use of smoked and smokeless tobacco which I have continued to do to this day.

 I always like to tell the story of “Smoking Sam,” a mannequin that could mechanically smoke a real cigarette. We would take it to the schools and when the kids saw the angel hair in the mannequin's glass lungs turn 

dark from a few cigarettes, they were really impressed. That was a lot of fun, and the kids responded to the

message.

During the 1970s, when I served as the Air Force’s Preventive Dentistry Officer at Brooks AFB, TX, we made 

great strides in heightening the awareness of safety in the dental environment. We contributed many articles in 

the dental literature on subjects ranging from mercury hygiene, aerosols, noise pollution, radiation safety, environmental protection, and so forth. The Air Force in many respects, was ahead of the civilian sector in such 

areas. I take great pride in having been an Air Force dental officer.

Footnote: Col. Christen presently teaches Preventive and Community Dentistry at the Indiana University

School of Dentistry within the Oral Biology Department. He also teaches dental history and was recently honored by the American Academy of the History of Dentistry for his numerous contributions in this arena. His

distiguised career continues as he currently serves as the Dental Consultant to the National Cancer Institute, as 

well as the Tobacco Consultant to the Council on Access, Prevention, and Interprofessional Relations for the

American Dental Association.

Col. Arden G. Christen
49

DENTAL PUBLIC 

HEALTH

Public health dentistry was recognized as a specialty by the ADA in

1949. Kenneth R. Elwell was the

first Air Force dentist to have completed training in this new specialty, 

in 1956 at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. It is

not recorded if other Air Force dentists with formal dental public health 

training followed after him until recently. Now serving as the Dental

Public Health Officer for the Air

Force at Tri-Service Center for Oral 

Studies in Bethesda, Maryland, is

Gary C. Martin.

Lt. Col. Martin points out how

prevention is still the main emphasis, but the perspective is broader.

His office provides USAF dental

clinics guidelines for detailed monitoring of caries-susceptible patients.

One of the first measures implemented was the use of sealants on

USAF members who are at high risk 

for caries. For example, Lt. Col.

Martin’s office continues to improve 

the regulations for oral health

screening, as well as monitoring the

dental readiness of the USAF population. Currently, over 90 percent of

the active duty are qualified for overseas duty. Analyzing dental disease

levels of military personnel also better determines adequate ratios of

specialists and dentists to troop levels in order to avoid compromising

the Air Force Mission.

PREVENTIVE DENTISTRY

ous publications by Col. Christen

in the dental literature during

those years are exemplary contributions of Air Force dentistry to

the profession and to the public. 

 Robert Mayhew and Bruce A.

Matis in the 1980s emphasized the 

use of sealants. A comprehensive

study of the effectiveness of sealants on the 18-22 year age group

was one of several research efforts

conducted under Col. Matis’s leadership. He also has had a number 

of articles in both civilian and

military publications. While at

Brooks AFB, he chronicled the

history of Air Force Preventive

Dentistry.

Following Col. Matis, in the position of Special Consultant in Preventive Dentistry was Laurence P.

Crigger in the early 1990s. During that time frame, the Medical

Service began to emphasize prevention, fitness, and wellness issues. USAF dentistry had been

involved in prevention efforts for 

decades and was well suited to

provide expertise in these areas. 

The Dental Corps experiences

could contribute significantly to

the mission of the medical colleagues. However, Col. Crigger

felt the dental input would have a 

greater influence if presented

from a broader perspective, that 

is, from a public health viewpoint. He recommended that the 

next person in his position be a

dental health specialist. Unfortunately, at that time, no active

duty Air Force dentist had training in that specific discipline. 

An opportunity soon evolved for 

that to transpire when Air Force

dentist Gary C. Martin was

scheduled for a Dental Public

Health Residency.

Air Force dentistry observes state of the art 

Infection Control Policy.
50

ORAL RESEARCH

I n 1948, efforts by the American 

Dental Association helped secure

Congressional legislation to create

the National Institute of Dental

Research to combat “the appalling 

extent of dental disease and dental 

neglect.” The military already had 

a few individuals working in such 

places as the National Bureau of

Standards (NBS) developing new

dental field equipment and testing

dental materials, but with more

federal funds available, the 1950s

would witness a large growth in

dental research.

In 1949, a dental research advisory committee to the Army Medical Research and Development

Board was created. Lt. Col. Walter 

Reuter was a member on that

committee representing the Air

Force Dental Service. That same

year, four Army Dental Corps researchers transferred to the Air

Force and initiated efforts to build 

a reputable dental research capacity for the Air Force. These included: Carlos F. Schuessler at the 

Armed Services Engineering Development Division at Ft. Trotten,

New York, (testing and development of dental field equipment);

Theodore E. Fisher at NBS,

(numerous research projects);

Warren R. Hester at the School of

Aviation Medicine (SAM) at

Randolph Air Base, Texas,

(Vincent’s stomatitis at altitude,

high speed handpiece) and Hubert

Palmer at the Research and Graduate School, Walter Reed Hospital,

(etiology of caries and preventive

possibilities). 

Lt. Col. Schuessler who had

served in the South Pacific was

appalled at the inadequate equipment. He had spent several years

at Randolph’s SAM shortly after

the war, developing better field

equipment. It was in San Antonio 

that he met Maj. Hester from Ft.

Sam Houston who expressed the

same frustration while serving in

the Pacific. Maj. Hester was

thrilled to be invited to SAM to

help research new equipment. 

Lt. Col. Schuessler’s nationally

published research eventually

had a positive influence on both

dental and medical field equipment design. 

Maj. Hester worked on several

research projects as well as towards a new focus. He envisioned an expansion of the work 

being done at SAM to the degree 

that a Division of Dental Science 

be created, separate from the

Medical Science Division which

it had been under since 1945. 

This was an exciting time for

research within the dental profession, with much happening all 

at once, and ideas for various

The Dental Division 

supported oral research for 

two reasons: first to investigate the effects of flying on 

oral tissues, dental materials 

and appliances, and secondly, the desire to find ways 

to improve oral health delivery and maintenance of Air 

Force personnel. 

Civilian and Military Research Conference at SAM in 1951. Kermit Knudtzon, 

back row, center. Front row, left to right: Warren Hester, Theodore Fischer, 

Walter Reuter, Donald Hudson.
51

ORAL RESEARCH

projects continually surfacing. 

Air Force dental leaders in Washington were supportive of oral research for two primary reasons:

first to investigate the efforts of

flying on oral tissues, dental materials and appliances; and secondly, 

to find ways to improve oral health 

delivery and maintenance of Air

Force personnel. 

By the mid-1950s, approximately

a dozen dental officers were involved in oral research. Their efforts would have far reaching implications for the dental profession 

highlighted in such areas as the

high speed handpiece, the panoramic x-ray, and preventive dentistry. Many research projects and

studies were conducted at civilian

institutions working in cooperation 

with SAM. The Air Force was

very much a part of this progressive era of dental research. 

Renamed the School of Aerospace 

Medicine (SAM), and relocated in 

1962 to Brooks AFB, Texas, Air

Force dental researchers during the 

1960s had the challenging but rewarding task of working with

NASA to develop ways to perform 

oral hygiene as well as treat potential dental emergencies encountered during space flight. 

To support the nation’s war effort 

in Southeast Asia, Maj. Malcolm

D. Jendresen at SAM developed a

stronger temporary restorative material called polychromatic intermediate restorative material

(PIRM), designed to wear longer

and last up to twelve months. 

Another interesting research project conducted at Brooks in the

early 1970s termed “laser holography,” sought to utilize the rapidly

budding computer technology in a

dental application. Under the direction of Air Force prosthodontist, John M. Young, laser imaging 

photography was used to generate three dimensional computer

images of teeth, in concept like a 

sophisticated hologram. The use 

of such technology had limitless 

possibilities in the industrial

workplace as well as numerous

possible applications in the dental setting. One of the most intriguing was the idea of being

able to have a machine fabricate

a crown from the computer generated image of a prepared tooth. 

The laser holography indeed was 

able to produce the computer image of a tooth; however, the machinery was not sophisticated

enough to fabricate a crown to

the exact image generated on the 

computer. Today that technology

has arrived. 

The trailblazing efforts of laser

holography also set the stage for 

at least another innovative application of today’s computers to

dental and medical therapy. It

will have far reaching positive

consequences for the health sciences. Stereolithography, currently used at MacKown Dental

Clinic, is a process whereby

three-dimensional models of

varying materials can be fabricated from laser scanners. The

application of stereolithography

to the dental and medical work

setting has great potential, and

Air Force dentists during the

1990s were part of this revolutionary effort. (See page 53)

Throughout the years, Air Force 

dental residents and staff coordinators have published many

studies in the research portion of 

their residencies

T he Air Force cannot take sole 

credit for the panograph (often referred to as a Panorex), because its 

idea and theory had been around for 

several years; however, the efforts of 

Air Force dentists Don Hudson and

Jack Hartley at NBS in the early

1950s brought about the actual mechanical workings of the machine.

By 1967, all Air Force inductees’

initial oral examination included a

panograph, a practice that has since

become universally encouraged

within the dental profession, both

military and civilian. Research at

SAM in the early 1970s confirmed

that a panorex and two bite-wing 

radiographs exposed the patient to

80 percent less radiation than the

traditional full mouth series consisting of eighteen smaller films. Over

60,000 trainees at Lackland now

receive a panograph each year. Out

of several thousand films evaluated,

a significant amount of dental disease is found and potential lifethreatening pathology can be diagnosed.

PANORAMIC 

RADIOGRAPH

DEVELOPMENT
52

ORAL RESEARCH

The introduction of the highspeed handpiece to the dental armamentarium was revolutionary,

and the armed services played a

pivotal role in its development. 

During WWII and the years immediately following, it was speculated 

that the fifth most common cause

of aborted flights was dentally related. This was an obvious concern 

to the mission of the Air Force. In 

those same years, the theory of

aerodontalgia had been dispelled;

however, the question was raised

as to whether or not teeth restored 

on airmen several days prior to

flying were more susceptible to

pain at altitude. Did the trauma to 

the tooth, notably, the vibration

and heat generated during preparation for a filling, create enough of

a pulpitis that the tooth could be

overly sensitive for several days,

and if so, to what degree on flying 

personnel?

The existing dental drills of the

day operated at about 4,000 revolutions per minute (rpm). Was it

possible to operate at speeds much 

higher, even to the point that the

dentist could cut tooth structure so 

quickly and efficiently that little if

any heat was generated?

Some of the earliest research involved Drs. Schuessler, Hester,

and Fischer at SAM in the late

1940s and early 1950s. They developed a machine utilizing a system of pulleys, much like a ten

speed bike, to drive belt handpieces to higher rpms. They concluded that the most efficient and

safest operation of the handpiece

was rpms greater than 18,000,

which actually generated less heat

than the standard handpiece of the 

day, which was soon to be referred 

to as the slow speed handpiece. 

Air Force dentist Jack Hartley arrived at NBS in 1951, continuing

the research throughout the 1950s. 

His efforts resulted in many articles published on the effects of carbide and diamond burrs on pulpal

tissue when cutting at speeds between 10,000 and 400,000 rpm

with proper water coolant.

Warren Hester (L) and Theodore Fisher check out the pulleys in their high speed handpiece research.

HIGHSPEED HANDPIECE RESEARCH
53

ORAL RESEARCH

RADIO DENTURES

One interesting research project

involved the use of radio transmitters 

fabricated in prosthetic teeth in order

to study the physiological stresses that 

occur during mastication. Dental researchers at SAM in the early 1960s

got the idea from using telemetering

equipment that had been developed for 

monitoring space flight. The Departments of Bioelectronics, Physiology,

Audiology, and the Dental Sciences

all worked together to incorporate

miniaturized radio transmitters in

dentures to evaluate occlusal forces

during chewing. Col Warren Hester

stated, “The FBI came to Randolph to 

evaluate the workings of such an apparatus; perhaps it was something

they could use in their own field of

work. It also put an end to our research on this project.”

SSgt. Sam Palmer in 1966 displays radio dentures fabricated by researchers at SAM.

Dentistry interfaces with all aspects of science and medicine. 

Air Force dentistry is literally on 

the cutting edge at MacKown

Dental Clinic of the Wilford Hall 

Medical Complex. Stereolithography is a rapid prototyping

process for fabricating threedimensional models from a computer image. Lt. Col. Doug Erikson within the Maxillofacial

Prosthetic section points out that 

the specialized equipment necessary for stereolithography is not

uncommon within the industrial

workforce, but exists in only one

hospital complex in the world, 

that being at MacKown Dental

Clinic, WHMC.

Images from computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and laser

scanners provide the data for the

computer that is then used by the

sophisticated machinery to generate 

3-D models of bones, skulls, teeth,

vertebrae, and so forth. The epoxy

and acrylic models show surgeons

and dentists the true extent of damaged or diseased tissue and help

practitioners consult with other colleagues, as well as clients, prior to

any actual treatment. It saves lots of

operating room time by allowing the 

physicians and oral surgeons to

more accurately shape and mold custom bone plates, implants, and fixation devices prior to starting the surgery. 

To date, many patients have

benefited enormously from the new

technology which improves treatment of gunshot wounds, craniofacial clefts, custom temporomandibular joint replacement, and titanium implants. The separation of

conjoined Siamese twins in 1995

was perhaps the most welldocumented success story. 

 Combat medical readiness is

improved because field CT scanners can transfer data over the

internet, and prototype models can 

be fabricated while patients are in 

transport.

STEREOLITHOGRAPHY
54

In the post-Vietnam War

downsizing period, there was some 

opposition to continued funding

for oral research at the School of

Aerospace Medicine, which had

relocated to Brooks AFB in 1962. 

One concern was that the three

armed services were duplicating

each other’s dental research. Another concern was whether the Air 

Force had been authorized to do

oral research since its inception in 

1949. The Chief Counsel of the

Air Force informed the Dental

Service that due to lack of authorization, the oral research program

at the School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks AFB, would no

longer be funded as of October 1,

1976. 

Fortunately, the Air Force had 

the right person at the right time

and at the right place—John M.

Young. A prosthodontist by training with a research background in 

both engineering and dentistry, he

possessed a keen technical problem 

solving ability. Maj. Gen. Hombs

and Maj. Gen. Thompson, both

aware of his talents, sought his

help. His mission to “fix the research situation” would not be

easy. 

Col. Young's expeditious efforts resulted in AF Regulation

162-7, which established the Dental Investigation Service (DIS) on

October 1, 1976. The purpose of

DIS is to provide investigative information and assistance to USAF

dental personnel by solving operational problems and togive guidance on existing dental techniques, 

equipment, and armamentarium. 

The laboratory, clinical, and consultant capabilities of DIS are an

integral part of the USAF School

of Aerospace Medicine. Their

technical assistance has developed into an invaluable support

of the Dental Service and the Air 

Force mission. Col. Young takes

no hesitation in saying , “I think 

we have had a positive influence

on the technical side of dentistry, 

not just for the Air Force, but

also for the profession.”

He is also adamant in reiterating that DIS does not do research, but only evaluates equipment as requested by Air Force

clinicians. “No one is ever told

what to buy, only what works

and doesn't work.” Personnel at 

DIS point out that manufacturers 

do not send equipment expecting DIS to evaluate it for them.

Rather DIS selects equipment as

requested by Air Force clinics to

examine and determine if it is 

suitable to provide adequate

clinical treatment. This is done

in an effort to determine which

equipment is best to help each

dental officer provide quality

care to his patients, and to save Air 

Force money by purchasing equipment that will last.

In order to best disseminate

information from findings at DIS,

the newsletter “Dental Items of

Significance” is published and provided to all USAF dental clinics as 

well as other interested governmental agencies. DIS website information is also available via the

internet.

Throughout the years, investigators at DIS evaluated existing

practice standards regarding handpiece maintenance, mercury hygiene, appropriate lighting, infection control measures, radiation

safety, and dozens of other areas of 

interest to determine which equipment and operator technique provide the safest working environment for both patient and doctor.

The efforts of DIS helped elevate Air Force dentistry to leadership in infection control measures. 

By the early 1980s, Air Force denDENTAL INVESTIGATION SERVICE
55

REFLECTIONS

“WE DON’T DO RESEARCH, ONLY INVESTIGATION ON EQUIPMENT AND

 MATERIALS TO BE PROVIDED TO USAF DENTAL CLINICS.”

COL. JOHN M. YOUNG

Before entering the Air Force, I had a degree in Chemistry and had worked as a research chemist in an 

engineering capacity while working through dental school. In the early 1960s, I completed an Air Force

sponsored prosthodontics residency. After a tour in Vietnam, I taught briefly at Lackland until a research position at Brooks AFB opened up in the prosthodontics section. It sounded like what I wanted, but I was a little disappointed in the amount of paperwork we had to do just to justify any research we did, and even worse 

was the paper trail which prevented us from having any direct contact with the Air Force dentists who needed 

timely answers to everyday equipment problems.

This was the early ‘70s, and the Armed Forces were going through downsizing and a review of funding, 

you know how that goes. Well, the problem was, by regulation, the Air Force never was officially 

“authorized to do oral research.” It had been done understandably to study dental problems encountered with 

flight as well as to help the Dental Corps in treating Air Force personnel. That makes sense to you and me, 

but you have to understand policy in Washington. If something doesn’t have a specific regulation or authorization by Congress, it can be cut, and it was going to be cut on 1 Oct, 1976. To make a long story short, I was 

able to write and get a regulation passed whereby the Air Force would not do research, but only investigate

equipment and supplies that Air Force clinicians inquire about. The Dental Investigation Service at Brooks

AFB doesn’t tell anyone, including the Air Force, what to buy, only what works and how well. We don’t tell 

manufacturers how to improve their equipment. We are tasked to investigate complaints and inquiries from 

the field and make recommendations on which equipment works. Also it can now be done over the phone, 

not the long paper trail. This is what I envisioned it doing when it was started on 1 Oct, 1976, and from my 

understanding, still operates pretty much the same way. This was “my baby” and I’m proud of it. 

FOOTNOTE: Col. Young is a clinical professor of general dentistry at the University of Texas Dental School 

in San Antonio. He presently works with NASA in developing dental treatment instruments for use in

weightless environments for emergency dental procedures during spaceflight.

DENTAL INVESTIGATION SERVICE

tal clinics each had an Environmental Health and Safety Officer

assigned among their dentists. Civilian dentists may have felt pressure

from OSHA in the late 1980s; however, Air Force dental clinics had

been doing such procedures for

years. Much of the credit is due to

guidance from DIS.

By the 1990s, DIS also began to 

have a heavy influence in providing

guidance for new facility construction as well as upgrading existing

AF dental clinics in order to increase 

the efficiency of dental care. DIS

must now be consulted prior to such 

transactions.

Currently the Director of DIS

participates as a military consultant to the ADA Sponsored Accredited Standards Committee of Dental Materials Instruments and

Equipment.

Col. John M. Young
56

ORAL PATHOLOGY

Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology was recognized as a specialty

by the ADA in 1950. At that time, 

there were only about a dozen oral 

pathologists in the country, and the 

Air Force was fortunate to have

one join its ranks in 1952. William G. Sprague would be the Air 

Force's only oral pathologist until

the mid-sixties. In his own words, 

“Air Force oral pathology for

many years was me, myself, and

I.” 

Oral pathologists within the

Air Force ranks throughout the

years regarded him as the Father

of Air Force Oral Pathology. One

of his early assignments was at the 

Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP). Shortly thereafter, in 

1956, he was transferred to Wilford Hall at a time when all residents were being established. He

was tasked with teaching oral pathology to students of all residencies. It would not be until the sixties that the Air Force acquired

more oral pathologists, including

John Cornyn and Southern P.

Hooker. Both had been B-17 pilots in WWII, the former in

Europe and the latter in the

Burma-India theater of operations.

Col. Sprague has been described as resourceful, of gifted

intellect, dynamic, aggressive, and 

far-sighted. His efforts trail-blazed 

a path whereby future Air Force

oral pathologists could indeed

practice their specialty where it is

most productive, that is, inside

medical pathology departments

and not isolated to the dental environment. He assured that Air

Force oral pathologists would not

only be clinical pathologists but

also microscopic diagnosticians.

The Air Force at its peak had

six oral pathology centers that directly assisted USAF dentists in

the diagnosis of intraoral lesions. 

Consequently, Air Force dentists

not only had a more accessible 

communication avenue, but received information and feedback

quicker, enabling patients to be

diagnosed and treated more expeditiously. These biopsy centers 

were largely a result of Col. Sprague's vision.

Col. Sprague served as chairman of the Department of Oral

Pathology at AFIP from 1965-

1969, arguably the most esteemed

oral pathology position in the

world. Air Force dentists to follow 

in his footsteps at this position

were Southern P. Hooker (1976-

1979), Kenton S. Hartman (1984-

1987), and Robert B. Brannon

(1993-1996).

In addition to biopsy analysis, 

USAF oral pathologists provide

expertise in teaching, consultation, 

research, and forensics. They not

only serve as a valuable support to 

the Air Force mission, but have

provided a significant contribution 

to the dental profession. Air Force 

oral pathologists have written hundreds of published research papers, 

including some “classic” ones that 

will stand the test of time. Considering there have been only about

two dozen Air Force oral pathologists in fifty years, this is of noteworthy mention.

Col. Hooker's research in the

late sixties identified a lesion

known as the ameloblastic fibroodontoma, an innocuous growth

treated today with simple curettage. Prior to that time, the entity

was confused with the aggressive

ameloblastic odotoma which requires extensive radical surgery.

This not only expanded the existing diagnostic spectrum of ameloblast odontomas, but for those

patients not needing radical surgery it was an obvious godsend.

Many a patient's jaw have been

saved because of his contribution.

Col. Brannon is credited

with compiling one of the largest 

studies ever on keratocysts,

which has spawned numerous

publications and has significantly contributed to oral pathology's diagnostic repertoire. Today the specialty is referred to as 

Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology.

“Air Force oral 

pathology for many years 

was me, myself, and I.”

Col. William G. Sprague,

Father of Air Force 

Oral Pathology
57

FORENSIC DENTISTRY

Dentistry's contribution to the 

forensic sciences has become

much more prominent within the

last twenty-five years. Air Force

dentists have been active participants and contributors in the recent progressive developments

within forensic dentistry. Forensic odontology is now a vital team 

player among such others as forensic anthropology, forensic pathology/biology, and forensic

toxicology. But the team is bigger than that, including others

such as criminalistics and jurisprudence. Consequently, forensic 

dentistry is more than just identifying remains; it is an active participant in the legal processes of

our society.

The Army used form DA 8-

116 during WWII to help in dental identification, as well as

Medical Form 79, which included 

a dental section. However, it is of 

historical interest to note that

Army Air Corps dentists within

the 8th Air Force in England developed its own Flying Personnel 

Dental Identification Form. 

Faced with the task of identifying 

bodies mutilated and charred beyond recognition, dental officers

made it mandatory for newly arriving flying personnel to complete the form. The dentists were 

credited with identifying with

certainty many individuals who

probably would have remained

unknown. Throughout the following years, many USAF dental officers provided a very necessary

contribution to the Air Force mission by being tasked with identifying flying personnel killed in

air accidents.

One of the original staff officers of the Dental Service in

Washington, D.C., Col. Walter R. 

Reuter, had been a command dental surgeon with the Eighth Air

Force during WWII and realized

that dental records needed an improved method of recording dental disease and completed restorations. In the early 1950s, he formatted AF Form 309 for use in

initial dental processing of Air

Force personnel. Currently, all of

the Armed Forces use SF 603,

which is esssentially the same as

AF Form 309.

In 1962, the first forensic

odontology course ever taught

took place at AFIP, and it remains 

the most highly regarded of all

forensic dentistry courses taught

in the world. USAF dentists

throughout the years have participated as instructors in the curriculum. 

In the mid-1970s, Dover AFB 

became the nation's primary identification lab for all military personnel. The initiative and leadership capabilities of AF forensic

dentists obviously contributed to

Dover being selected. It was also

during this same time frame that

forensic odontology began to play

a pivotal role in the management

of mass disaster casualties. 

This began in the 1970s under Southern P. Hooker's leadership at AFIP when he assembled a 

team of Air Force forensic dentists to assist Pan Am Airlines

with the Pan Am/KLM Tenerife

crash on the Canary Islands. He

displayed exceptional initiative, but

could not have done it alone. Others 

with organizational and management skills such as William M. Morlang provided invaluable assistance. 

The two can be largely credited with 

creating the mass disaster protocol

utilized throughout the country today. Other tragedies included the

Jonestown Guyana tragedy, the

crash of a Polish airliner with the

US Olympic Boxing team, the terrorist attack on the Marine barracks

in Beirut, and the Battleship Iowa

explosion. The identification of human remains is a tremendous benefit 

to surviving family members, expediting insurance matters, estate settlement, and wrongful death suits.

When mass disasters occur, it 

has become the responsibility of

AFIP to deploy military personnel 

to both the accident sites as well as

Dover AFB. Up to seventy-five 

cases a day can be handled at Dover, 

but more could be processed if necessary as was evidenced by preparations for the Gulf War.

Col. William M. Morlang II served as Consultant in Forensic Dentistry to the USAF

Surgeon General for many years. See his

“Reflection” in “Aeromedical Dentistry.”

During the 1970s, Air Force 

dental officers helped 

establish the mass disaster 

forensic identification 

protocol utilized throughout 

the country today.
58

COMBAT DENTISTRY

The following quotes were taken from the

book A History of the United States Army

Dental Service in World War II:

♦ “Thousands of dentists who had always enjoyed 

every convenience in their civilian offices soon 

found themselves operating with dental field 

chests on tropical islands, or at the edge of arctic glaciers.” 

♦ “During an invasion, dental officers must be 

prepared to assume other duties until the situation has stabilized.”

♦ “I gave more plasma than I inserted fillings.”

♦ “A unit which entered combat could go for 

some time with emergency dental care only plus 

the sporadic attention that was available between periods of fighting, but lack of definitive 

treatment eventually resulted in reduction of 

combat efficiency due to excessive evacuations 

for dental causes.”

WORLD WAR II

Dental officers assigned to

field units within a war zone during WWII were often exposed to

the hardships and risks of the

troops with which they were deployed. Dentists were involved

with airborne and assault operations in Europe, including ski patrol and paratroop functions, as

well as the jungle operations of the 

Pacific. The Army recorded 20

dentists who were killed in action, while 60 were wounded, 5

of whom subsequently died. Disease and non-combat accidents

took the lives of 81 dentists.

Invasion forces often utilized

their dentists as triage officers

and assistant surgeons. Some

were employed for months at a

time in a medical status. One

dental officer remarked, “I gave

more plasma than I inserted fillings.” 

In essence, dental officers were

expected to be prepared for emergency assistance and other additional duties until the combat subsided. Dental chests, as well as

“backpack” dental kits, were often 

utilized as necessary during a lull

in the fighting. These were especially helpful in jungle terrain

when ordinary dental field equipment proved inoperable. However, 

it was prudent to return dental officers to their normal duties as soon 

as possible in order to prevent

evacuations and lost manpower

hours due to dental ills. 

Dozens of military dentists were

held as prisoners. European statistics are incomplete regarding dentists held in captivity. However, in 

the Pacific, 53 American dentists

were held in Japanese prisoner of

war camps. Maj. Frederick H.

Richardson, Jr. and 1st Lt. Alex

M. Mohnac were captured in the

Philippines with Corregidors’ fall

in the spring of 1942. Both survived four years in Japanese

camps, and they each transferred

to the Air Force in 1949. Mohnac 

had had oral surgery training and 

served as the POW camp anesthetist using Red Cross procaine and

pontocaine. During the early

1960s, he served as one of the

early directors of the oral surgery 

residency at Wilford Hall. 

A number of Army dentists who

had served under such adverse and 

hostile conditions of World War II 

were among the original cadre of

175 dental officers that transferred 

to the Air Force in the summer of

1949.
59

COMBAT DENTISTRY

REFLECTIONS

“PEOPLE UNDERESTIMATE HOW INCAPACITATING A 

TOOTHACHE IN THE FIELD CAN BE.”

COL. WARREN R. HESTER 

I was an ARMY ROTC dental officer in school graduating in 1941,

just before America entered the war. Shortly after Pearl Harbor, in the 

spring of 1942, I was sent to the Solomon Islands. The fighting on

Guadalcanal was horrendous, as you know. It literally went on day after day for six months. If I was not treating a dental patient, I would 

help the medical officers. There were plenty of dental ills to treat, let 

me tell you. Hardly a day went by without toothaches and fractured

jaws, and they were real emergencies to the fighting men. People underestimate how incapacitating dental ills can be to the troops in the

field. We worked every day knowing the enemy was not far away, and 

often I could hear the machine guns and mortars while I treated patients. I recall one instance when the fighting was not more than several hundred yards away and had been going on for some time while I 

was treating one of the soldiers. A general came up behind me and

asked, “What the hell do you think you are doing?” My response was, 

“What the hell do you think I’m doing?”

The equipment was ridiculous, left over from WWI. We had to improvise everything. Extractions and setting of fractured jaws had to be

done by feel as we had no x-rays. The old fashioned pump pedal may

have been a blessing since we didn’t have electricity. I even did some 

metal crowns by rigging up a manual sling casting machine inside a

large potato can.

The medical personnel were overwhelmed. We had 1500 patients

crammed into a 200 bed field hospital. The equipment sent from stateside required electricity, and guess what? We didn’t even have generators. I remember telling myself, I hope no other dentist has to go to war 

as unprepared as we were.

FOOTNOTE:

Captain Hester was wounded on another South Pacific island before returning stateside. In 1948, he was

assigned to Randolph’s School of

Aviation Medicine where his research 

activities included the development of 

new dental field equipment. In his

own words, he had a “passion” for his 

work. He transferred to the Air Force 

in 1949.

KOREA

Unfortunately, no information 

regarding the numbers and activities of Air Force dental personnel

assigned within Korea during the

war are on record. Fortunately, no 

USAF dentists or their assistants

are known to have been killed in

theater. It is recorded that the severe shortage of dental personnel

at the outbreak of hostilities in

1950 persisted throughout the

war.

The concept of area dental

support rather than unit support

developed in Korea. In essence,

medical and dental officers were

not as close to the front lines as in 

previous wars. Air Force dental

officer Capt. Oliver Scow of the

502nd Tactical Control Group in

Korea stated that the Chest-60 

could essentially allow a dentist to 

operate in the field; however, setting up in fixed facilities such as

school buildings made the dental

environment much more inviting

to the patient. “With a little initiative, common sense, and good

luck, we were able to do all but

complex dental cases.” His two

room clinic provided not onlyoral

surgery, but restorative, gold

crown and bridge, and denture

processing.

Col. Warren R. Hester
60

VIETNAM

USAF DENTAL OFFICERS KILLED IN VIETNAM

Major Raymond J. Dusold, Jr., was wounded in an ambush in late 1966 and

died of his injuries nine months later in an Army hospital at Ft Bliss, Texas. An 

American Legion Post in El Paso, Texas, was dedicated on his behalf in 1968. 

Lt. Col. Paul F. Keicker and Capt. James R. Jones assigned to Cam Rahn Bay

AFB, were killed during a C-130 crash near An Khe, Republic of South Vietnam 

on June 17, 1967. The dental clinic at Seymour-Johnson, North Carolina, has

been named in honor of Dr Keicker.

Their names along with other military dentists killed in Vietnam, are etched on a 

War Memorial plaque towards the entrance of the American Dental Association 

Headquarters in Chicago.

COMBAT DENTISTRY

Military advisors from the

United States had been in South

Vietnam since the fall of the

French in 1954, but it would not be 

until the early sixties that the Air

Force began to provide in-country 

medical and dental support. The

earliest dental facilities were established at Da Nang, Ton Sun Nhut, 

Nha Trang, and Bien Hoa in the

1962-63. Phan Rang and Cam

Rahn Bay were built in 1965. No

senior dental staff Air Force officer 

received official clearance in South 

Vietnam until 1966. Consequently, 

early recommendations as to the

required dental support of the mission in South Vietnam had been

done by non-dental personnel. Before 1965, the equipment and supplies provided to dentists in Vietnam was often outdated and inoperable. The ability of Air Force

dentists to support the mission

was often compromised in those

early years.

By the end of 1966, more

realistic manning criteria with

recommended staffing and construction standards were being

implemented in Southeast Asia.

Air Force dental leaders in Washington honored their commitment 

to providing equitable worldwide

dental support as evidenced by

the ratio of dental personnel to

troop levels in South Vietnam

being very close to those anywhere else, including stateside. 

A review of the annual histories within the Surgeon General's 

Office reveal that in 1966 the

Dental Service under General

Dunn made diligent efforts to

support the combat mission in

Vietnam. That year, the Dental

Service began advocating all Air

Force inductees have a

panographic film as well as a

Polaroid photo taken of the oral

cavity, which assisted in dental

identification. As for field

equipment, air-driven operating

dental units utilizing the highspeed handpiece were deployed

for use in theater. Brig. Gen.

Dunn wanted good equipment

and facilities for dental personnel 

in Vietnam. The first designs of 

Air Transportable Hospitals were 

reviewed with dental input, including the modular concept of

dental operatories.

That same year, 1966, researchers at SAM began developing a new “holding” filling material for use as a long term temporary restorative material useful in 

the emergency kits of the “Buddy 

Care System.” Air Force Systems 

Command placed this project on 

high priority, and by 1967, the
61

COMBAT DENTISTRY

USAF Dental Operatory at Bien Hoa,South Vietnam, 1962-63

new material called Polychromatic 

Intermediate Restorative Material

(PIRM) was developed. Primarily a 

zinc oxide and eugenol mix with

an inert polymer composite incorporated as a filler, the material was 

designed to wear for longer than

12 months. 

Air Force dental personnel for 

several years had participated in

People-to-People, Dental MedCap, and Civic Action humanitarian projects in Southeast Asia, including Thailand and the Philippines. These visitations to orphanages and the surrounding villages

would become a major effort of Air 

Force dentists stationed in South

Vietnam.

 It is generally believed that

the vast majority of dental Air

Force officer and enlisted personnel participated on a volunteer basis; many did so on their off-duty 

days. 

Civic Action Teams distributed toothbrushes and basic dental 

necessities, provided oral hygiene

instruction, and performed many

extractions. The conditions were

hot, dirty, occasionally dangerous,

and obviously very busy, as there

were limitless numbers of people

needing help. There were instances where dental personnel

came under attack while on these

humanitarian missions. These volunteers made a significant contribution to the American war effort

in striving to win the hearts of our 

South Vietnamese allies. Several

Dental Service veterans of Vietnam credited William M. Morlang 

for his exemplary contributions

towards Med-Cap missions. 

Capt. Morlang also enjoyed 

working with the pilots, being

around the planes, as well as accompanying flight crews on selected

missions. Air Force dentist, Capt.

Donald R. Smidy, received the Air

Medal as a result of numerous

flights into hostile territory, providing dental care to Vietnamese orphanages. 

Air Force dental specialists also

offered their assistance with Vietnamese hospitals helping on difficult 

cases and worked with the limited

number of Vietnamese dentists in

upgrading their dental skills. South 

Vietnam actually had only one dental school located in Saigon, and in

1966, USAF Dental Officer William 

T. Byerly was asked to serve as a

dental advisor. The coursework consisted of a five-year curriculum, and 

he acted as a liaison between that

school and all of America's Armed

Forces in country. There were only

about a half dozen Vietnamese dentists in uniform.

Many dental officers routinely offered their assistance as

surgical technicians in the hospitals during heavy influxes of

casualties as well as during the

evening hours when not seeing

dental patients.

The number of dentists assigned in Vietnam ranged from

25 a year in 1966 to a high of 53 

in 1969 and then back down to

33 in 1971. Again, the proper

amount of staffing was a key in

allowing adequate support of the

Air Force's involvement in Vietnam. This allowed for preventive and routine dental care as

well as expeditious emergency

treatment, so vital to the our nation's air support of the war. 

Some Air Force dentists in Vietnam estimate about 40 percent of 

their patients were Army troops,

as well as a number of Navyl

aviators.

Capt. Jerry D. Gardner,

(eventually Brigadier General

The primary reason for lost duty other than combat injury in Vietnam

 was acute dental needs.
62

COMBAT DENTISTRY

THE GULF WAR and Assistant to the Surgeon General for Dental Services), stationed 

at Cam Rahn Bay in 1967, felt Air 

Force personnel received the same

dental care in Vietnam as they

would have anywhere else. “The

facilities were good, and we did

not do just emergency treatment

but provided lots of restorative 

work, including the full range of

services that would have been provided in any large Air Force dental 

clinic anywhere in the world.” 

Brig. Gen. Gardner recalled

participating on Med-Cap missions 

almost weekly. He also remembers 

the unfortunate incident of his

roommate and fellow dentist, Capt. 

James R. Jones, being killed in a

plane crash, along with Lt. Col.

Paul F. Keicker, who at the time

was Base Dental Supervisor at

Cam Rahn Bay. 

 Just as in previous wars, approximately 10-15 percent of war

related wounds were oral and maxillofacial. About 20 percent of

emergency visits to the hospital

were of dental origin with caries

being the chief complaint followed 

by pericoronitis. Statistics vary,

but a reasonable estimate is that

between 140 and 170 dental emergencies will occur per 1000 troops

in any deployment lasting longer

than 90 days. Approximately 30-

50 percent of these could be preventable. Evidence seems to indicate that dentists are needed both

to get the troops in optimum oral

health prior to deployment as well 

as to be accessible for dental care

in the field.

Air Force Dental Service personnel deployed in support of Desert Shield/Storm included approximately 97 officers and 259 enlisted 

personnel. Some Air Force officers deployed during the early

stages of Desert Shield in August

of 1990, reported treating large

numbers of Army troops until a

sufficient number of Army dentists 

arrived. Others provided care not

only to Army soldiers but foreign

allied troops as well. Again, the

Air Force did a good job of achieving an adequate dentist-to-troop 

ratio. 

One observation during this particular war was that the dental

components were the busiest of

any of the health care practitioners. Most reported having plenty

of work to do from the moment

they arrived.

The Armed Forces had done a

better job deploying soldiers in

good or adequate oral health than

in previous wars; however, there

were still plenty of dental emergencies. There was also the unfortunate reality that almost ten percent 

of the reservists activated were dentally unqualified for overseas duty. 

This has subsequently been addressed with Congress passing legislation to create a dental insurance

program for the selected reserve.

Statistically, not a lot of change was 

reported in the literature regarding

dental emergency visits between

Vietnam and the Gulf. Approximately 17-20 percent of visits to the

hospital were of dental origin. Caries was the chief dental complaint in 

Vietnam, followed by pericoronitis,

while in the Gulf, wisdom tooth

complaints and caries both contributed about equally to the percentage

of dental emergencies. 

Almost 35 percent of the enlisted

dental component were assigned to

decontamination teams, while if

casualties had been high, the dental

officers had been trained to assist

with triage or as surgical assistants

if requested. In theaters of combat,

oral and maxillofacial surgeons are

capable of treating trauma to the facial area as well as serving as anesthetists.

Air Force dentistry in an Air Transportable Hospital in the Gulf.
63

OPERATIONS OTHER THAN WAR

Air Force dentist, Lt. Col. Cedric C. Chenet, (far right) uses his Spanish speaking skills to 

interpret on behalf of the United Nations Medical Support Mission, “Task Force ‘86,” 

and the Haitian government’s health relief efforts to local villagers. The mayor of the 

provincial capital is to his immediate right and the Commander of the U.N. Forces is to 

the right of the mayor. 

Two Air Force dentists with dental field equipment in Panama. 

As one journalist visiting a

MASH unit in Croatia in 1993

wrote, “Take a walk through the

Army’s field hospital and you may

be surprised to find the busiest department is not the emergency

room, intensive-care units, or surgical suites. It’s the dentists’

chairs.” 

The same has been witnessed of

Air Force dentistry throughout the

years as it supported hundreds of

contingencies. Some dental operations have been close to hostilities; 

most have been in support of

maintaining the peaceful presence

of U. S. Armed Forces worldwide. 

For almost forty years, Air Force

dentists have shared their skills on 

goodwill missions with needy peoples in Central and South America, the Philippines, and Southeast 

Asia. Although these areas of the

world have continually had dental

team visitations, many other parts

of the world have witnessed Air

Force dental involvement. These

short term activities have included 

Civic Action Teams, and humanitarian relief efforts. In more recent 

years when active duty or reserve

units are on Medical Readiness

Training Exercises (MEDRETE) 

in overseas locations, dental teams 

have offered their services to the

local populaces in conjunction

with their training. These

MEDRETE teams are known as

“people helping people,” missions. 

Long-term deployment operations

such as in the Gulf and Bosnia

have increased this past decade.

Dental officers can be deployed for 

up to six months. Approximately

30 Air Force dentists a year have

been deployed on various contingencies in overseas locations in the 

late 1990s. 
64

The stories of the minuteman 

militia supporting the colonial

armies and the colorful state

regiments marching to battle

during the Civil War give the

impression that the Guard and

Reserve forces are called upon

only in times of crisis. Actually,

throughout our 200 year history,

they have been utilized more often than one would think, and

during times of downsizing, are

needed even more so to interface 

with the active components. The

Mirror Force concept of the

1990s strives to achieve the necessary balance to complete the

mission. Today’s U.S. military

cannot go far, stay long, or fight 

well without the Guard and Reserve forces. In fact, some functions of today’s Air Force are

100 percent dependent on reserve 

components.

Legislation enacted on June 3, 

1916 provided for the establishment of both a Dental Corps in

the National Guard as well as the 

organization of a Dental Corps

within the Army’s Officer Reserve Corps. 

Close to the end of the WWI in 

1918, the Surgeon General’s Report to the Secretary of War

stated that 251 Guard dentists

and 5,372 Reserve dentists had

been recalled. Only two Guard

dentists served as captains, the

rest as first lieutenants. Almost

95 percent of the Reserve dentists 

were first lieutenants and about

three dozen became majors, the

highest rank attained. During

WWII, 311 Guard dentists and

3,220 Army Reserve dentists were

mobilized. Rank privileges improved, but lagged behind those of 

the medical officers. 

Air units of the National Guard 

(ANG) were formally recognized 

in 1946 while the Air Force Reserve was created in 1948. The 

USAF Dental Reserve Components 

and ANG Dental Reserve Sections

were officially created in 1949. 

Shortly thereafter, both Guard and 

Reserve personnel were mobilized 

for Korea. Unfortunately, the exact number of dentists recalled is

unavailable. It is known, however, 

that some dentists were with their

reserve units deployed to Korea. 

In July, 1951, the American Dental Association reported that over

3,000 reserve dentists had been

recalled, of which 977 were Air

Force. 

Physicians, dentists, veterinarians, 

and biomedical corps personnel 

within the ANG were all compositely designated as medical officers. Therefore, the exact figures 

of ANG dentists mobilized for Korea will remain unknown; however, given the fact that 183,000

guardsmen, including their medical and dental personnel, were activated, a conservative estimate is

that dozens of ANG dentists were

recalled.

The training of ANG dentists is

flexible. Most often they train

with the unit to which they are assigned performing the mission of

the unit. However, ANG dentists

can deploy individually or as dental teams in a manning assistance

status, performing backfill for remote or short staffed Air Force

installations, both CONUS and

overseas. They have assisted many

times in natural disaster relief efforts as well as numerous humanitarian contingencies to Central and 

South America. Organizational 

and command duties for Air Force 

Reserve Units comes from HQ AF

Reserve at Robbins AFB, Georgia. 

During Vietnam, the USAF Medical Reserve reached an all-time 

high of over 10,000 personnel. In 

1973, massive deactivation cut that 

figure in half. Of the previously 

existing 120 medical units, over

100 were deactivated. The shortage of medical and dental Reserve

personnel had to be addressed. 

That same year, the Medical Mobilization Augmentee Program,

working out of the Air Reserve

Personnel Center in Denver, Colorado, was initiated. Today, they

are referred to as Individual Mobilization Augmentees (IMAs). 

In 1979, medical readiness became a top priority of the Air

Force Surgeon General. The DoD

“The Dental Reserve supplied essential officers during the most critical period of mobilization for war, before the Selective Service System was in

 effective operation.”

A History of the U.S. Army Dental Service in World War II

RESERVE COMPONENTS
65

Inspector General’s audit revealed

the Air Force Reserve medical

manpower staffing could not prepare for wartime taskings. Recruitment and retention rates increased, 

but it took time. Not until the late 

1980s was the desired number of

Reserve health professionals, including dentists, achieved. For 20

years, all Reserve and Guard

health personnel have received 

increased training for wartime scenarios. The Total Force concept

adopted by the Air Force in the

1970s has created a greater interface and dependency on Reserve

Components. For 25 years the Total Force strategy was defensive,

that is, structured to fight a global 

war and therefore discourage superpower confrontation. With the

demise of the Soviet threat, the

nation sought to return to the militia concept that served our nation

well up until WWII. The

downsizing of the 1990s sought to

find a proper mix of active duty,

Reserve, and Guard forces to deal

with potential regional conflicts

throughout the world. 

This greater dependence on

trained and prepared forces requires “right-sizing,” and it does

save money. Today, 20 percent of

the Air Force’s total combat capability is provided by Reserve units

but only costs 4 percent of the Air 

Force budget. This “Mirror Force” 

whole team concept of the 90s

seeks to have a seamless, highly

prepared force. The bottom line is 

that Armed Forces do indeed cost

money, and although the American public has witnessed a shrinking military that has saved money, 

they also expect those in uniform

to protect them. At some point,

however, caution should be exercised, as budget cuts could undermine preparedness. 

There have been five major mobilizations of reserve forces, the largest being for Korea. Desert Shield/

Storm required the second largest

recall, even more so than Vietnam. 

A total of 77 AF IMA and unit Reserve dentists were mobilized for

the Gulf War, as well as several

dozen ANG dentists. Most, if not

all dental RC served within CONUS. 

Almost 10 percent of all Reservists activated for Desert Shield/

Storm were dentally unqualified 

for overseas duty. This clearly was 

a problem that needed to be addressed. In 1997, DoD implemented a low-cost dental insurance 

plan for reservists. Air Force Reserve dental officers assisted in

developing a computerized tracking system called the Reserve Data 

System, formatted to monitor the

dental readiness classification of

Air Force Reservists. It was specifically designed to prevent any

reduction in combat efficiency of a 

military unit due to dental reasons. 

Before 1990, Reserve units and

IMA personnel were involved in a 

dozen operations, but since the

Gulf War, they have participated

in more than 40 contingencies. 

Because of greater dependency on

Reserve forces, a new major command was created, the ninth

within the Air Force structure. The 

Air Force Reserve Command was

activated in 1997 with Maj. Gen.

Robert A. McIntosh as the first

commander. There are presently

about 72,000 Air Force reservists 

of which 12,000 are medical and 

dental health professionals. There

currently are about 85 IMA AF

dentists, 170 ANG dentists, and

125 AF dentists attached to Reserve units. 

“When we deploy for 

an exercise or for one 

of the many recent contingencies, it is hard to 

tell which people or 

units are Reservists, 

and which are on active 

duty.....the seamless 

daily operation enjoyed 

today serves us well.” 

Maj. Gen. Robert A. 

McIntosh, USAF

RESERVE COMPONENTS
66

There have been a half dozen

Air Force dentists in the Reserves

who have attained the rank of

brigadier general. These positions

are extremely difficult to acquire

in that the USAF Surgeon General 

has to recommend an individual to 

Senior Chief of Staff Officers. The 

first was the distinguished James

P. Hollers in the mid-1950s, who

was one of the original cadre of

Air Force Reserve dental officers. 

He had strong working relationships with both Maj. Gen. George

Kennebeck and Maj. Gen. Marvin 

Kennebeck. His participation in 

military and dental political activities are of legendary proportions in 

San Antonio.

The first person to attain brigadier 

general status as the Mobilization 

Assistant for USAF Reserves 

within the Surgeon General’s Office was Robert V. Clements in the 

early 1980s, when medical readiness and increased reserve participation was needed. He had been a

unit reservist for many years prior 

to becoming an IMA Dental Reservist.

IMA Dental Reservist, Wayne

W. Barkmeier, served as the Mobilization Assistant, SGD, during the 

Gulf War through the mid-1990s. 

He is currently Dean of the

Creighton University School of

Dentistry in Omaha, Nebraska,

where he has taught a number of

years as a clinical research professor of biomaterials. He was succeeded in the same position by 

IMA Dental Reservist, Joe P. Santaniello, who also was selected to

brigadier general, and very active

in Reserve readiness. General Santaniello provided leadership in

helping nuture the Mirror Force

strategy of a medically ready,

seamless Total Force of the active

and Reserve components. This required identifying issues, planning 

appropriate actions, and initiating

change.

In 1998, R. Carl Szarlan was selected as the ANG Assistant to the 

Office of Assistant Secretary of

Defense for Health Affairs. He

was the first ANG dentist to attain 

the brigadier general rank. 

Edward H. Greene, a private practice dentist in Lincoln, Nebraska, 

was a line officer for many years as 

a pilot with the Air National 

Guard. He transferred to the medical side in 1993 and shortly thereafter served as a Medical Squadron 

Commander. The high accolades

for his management of an outstanding unit helped him in being

selected to brigadier general status 

as a Chief of Staff of the Nebraska 

Air National Guard Unit.

Brig. Gen. Joe P. Santaniello

Brig. Gen.Wayne W. Barkmeier

Brig. Gen. Edward H. Greene

Brig. Gen. Rovert V. Clements

RESERVE COMPONENTS
67

To many Texas dental practitioners the name James P. Hollers

is one of those “bigger than life”

images. It would be difficult to

find anyone who served the uniform and the profession more diligently. His accomplishments are

deserving of recognition and remembrance.

A Texan by birth, he enlisted in

the U.S. Army immediately upon

high school graduation in Big

Wells, Texas, in 1917. During

World War I, he participated in

five major campaigns in Europe,

and won a Purple Heart. He returned after the war to pursue a

dental career. Graduating from

Tulane University in 1924, he entered private practice in Louisiana

and joined the Army Dental Corps 

Reserve in 1925.

In 1929, he opened a new practice 

in San Antonio where his life 

would have a tremendous influence in the civic, military, and

dental arenas. Throughout his life, 

he served as president of dozens of 

organizations, many very prominent. Shortly before World War

II, he had served as President of

the San Antonio School District

Board of Trustees, as well as President of the Reserve Officer’s Association of the United States.

Entering active duty, he served

within the Army Air Force’s Dental Corps as Base Dental Surgeon

at several facilities. At the close of 

the war, Col. Hollers resumed private practice, but remained with

the Army Air Force Dental Reserves becoming one of the first

group of Air Force dental reservists in 1949. His active duty and

reserve assignments included being a member of the Legislative

Liaison Division of the Dental Air 

Staff, as well as Assistant Chief

Dental Division of SGO, Air

Force. Col. Hollers was promoted 

to Brigadier General in the early

1950s. He remained very active in 

civic and professional organizations, and soon his colleagues were 

saying, “If you want a job done,

holler for Hollers.” 

Other positions to follow included 

President of San Antonio Chamber 

of Commerce in 1957, President of 

Texas Dental Association in 1960, 

President of the American Academy of Periodontology in 1961,

and President of the American

Dental Association in 1963.

General Hollers was highly influential in helping keep the School

of Aerospace Medicine in the San 

Antonio area when it relocated 

from Randolph AFB to Brooks

AFB. During the 1970s, his stature was extremely helpful in bringing the University of Texas Dental 

Branch to the South Texas Medical Center in San Antonio. The

scope of his achievements is impressive.

Brig. Gen. James P. Hollers: A Tribute to a very active Reserve Dentist

The USAF Dental Corps interfaces with 

civilians within the Department of Defense as well as the American Dental 

Association. Dr. James P. Hollers (far 

right), dental representative of the Armed 

Forces Medical Policy Council, visits 

Wiesbaden Dental Clinic in West Germany, 1953. Lt. Col. Benjamin W. Dunn 

is second from left, and Col Walter J. 

Reuter is far left. 

“If you want a job done, 

holler for Hollers.”

Texas Dental Journal, 

November 1951

RESERVE COMPONENTS
68

Keeping airplanes and crewmen ready to fly is the overall mission of the Air Force, and the dental contribution towards this goal

must not be overlooked. Since the 

early part of WWII when aerodontalgia gained recognition as a diagnostic entity, dentistry’s support

role to the flying mission has remained essential. Pressurized aircraft and pilot suits have contributed much to decreasing the number of cases of what is often now

AEROMEDICAL DENTISTRY

“When pilots are stressed to the maximum, like pulling excessive G forces to 

evade enemy SAM missiles, they understandably tend to clench heavily. The 

result was lots of fractured teeth and restorations. We, as Air Force dentists, 

did a great job of keeping those pilots ready to fly by treating them expeditiously. Because of our support of the mission, I think very few man-hours 

were actually lost by flight crewmen due to dental reasons.”

Col. John M. Young, (Ret), USAF Prosthodontist in Vietnam, 

who currently serves as a Dental Consultant to NASA.

referred to as barodontalgia;

however, preventive dental measures still deserve the lion’s share 

of the credit. 

Any aborted flight is one too

many, and the Dental Service

works in close cooperation with

the Flight Surgeon’s Office to

prevent medical-dental complications from jeopardizing the flying mission. Each Air Force dental clinic has a designated dental 

officer in charge of monitoring

the dental readiness of flying

personnel. Titles such as aeromedical dental officer or aerospace dentist are often used. 

Guidance for the management of 

flyers’ dental needs is provided by

standard regulations from Washington and directions from the Flight

Surgeon’s Office at each base. Air

Force dentists have diligently tried

to prevent any dental mishaps from

occurring during flight; however,

throughout the years, there has been 

the unfortunate occasional aborted

flight due to dental reasons. In large 

The Air Force’s F-4 was a common sight over the skies of Vietnam.
69

AEROMEDICAL DENTISTRY

REFLECTIONS 

A LOVE OF DENTISTRY AND AIRPLANES

COL. WILLIAM M. MORLANG II 

 (See photo in Forensic Dentistry) 

There have been dentists throughout the years that have taken a special interest in taking care of the flyers.

Duty titles such as Aerospace Medicine Dentist or Aeromedical Dental Officer have been around for some time. 

My first tour was in 1966 at Myrtle Beach where I had the opportunity of being assigned to the hospital dental 

clinic maintaining the oral health of the pilots. Following that assignment, at my request, I was sent to Vietnam. I was young, single, and in uniform, so I felt that’s where I needed to be. The opportunities to be of service to others were abundant during my tour there. Coordinating the Medical Civic Action Program around Saigon was a real blessing. The physicians were quite busy, so I was glad to volunteer my time to the project. I 

believe it was a good program, not only because of meeting the health needs of the orphans and villagers in the 

vicinity of Saigon, but also in winning the hearts of the South Vietnamese people. In the evenings, the dental 

officers often helped as surgical assistants when casualties necessitated.

One of my fondest memories was getting to fly. Making sure the pilots are in optimum oral health is one of

our primary missions in the Dental Corps, especially in a war zone. I had good rapport with many of the pilots 

and was fortunate to have spent a number of hours with them in the cockpit. A number of dentists, such as myself, enjoyed being around planes, and I enjoyed doing dentistry in the Air Force environment. One other recollection about my Air Force experience is that dentistry has consistently been underrated as a health care need 

during military contingencies throughout the world.

FOOTNOTE:

Col.Morlang retired in 1996 with a legacy of contributions to the arena of forensic dentistry. Part of his duties 

in Vietnam included the identification of deceased servicemen, and he has since built on those experiences. He 

continued training in forensic dentistry throughout the 1970's, acquiring his board certification in forensic

odontology in the early 1980s. He was called upon to assist in management of over a dozen of our nation’s

mass disaster casualty mishaps. He served as Consultant to USAF Surgeon General in Forensic Dentistry from 

1979-1993. He has also served as Forensic Dental Consultant both to the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology

and to the Armed Forces Medical Examiner. In 1996, he was President of the American Society of Forensic

Odontology. His dedication to Air Force dentistry is commendable. (See photo in “Forensic Dentistry).

measure, the Dental Service has

done quite well in monitoring

flight personnel.

Dentistry also interfaces with the 

training of flight surgeon residents 

at the Aerospace Medicine division 

of Brooks, AFB, Texas. They are

exposed to aircraft accident and

mass disaster management, forensic sciences, and forensic photography. The dental curriculum has 

been coordinated by Col. William

M. Morlang since the 1980s. He

retired in 1996, but has continued

“It is of note that the dental officer 

plays an integral part on the aerospace medical team, and that the 

program provides for good liaison 

between the flight surgeon and the 

dental officer to handle problems 

of a dental nature that have 

aeromedical ramifications.”

USAF Medical Service Digest,

June, 1964.

with his teaching responsibilities

and provides dental input for

AeromedicalSpace activities at

Brooks AFB.
70

The Air Force had the welcome 

opportunity of providing support

for the nation’s exploration of

space. The USAF Dental Service

was tasked with providing optimum dental care to the space pilots, as well as finding a way to

provide emergency dental care

during prolonged space flight.

Not much had changed since the

early days of aviation dentistry:

prevention was still the best cure. 

An optimum standard of oral 

health would obviously be required of the astronauts. Original

guidelines for the relation of dentistry to aerospace medicine were

issued in 1957 by the Surgeon

General’s Office in AFM 160-13. 

It was well written and comprehensive. A report in the mid1960s from USAF School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks AFB,

Texas, entitled “Astrostomotology” 

outlined standards for the examination and possible disqualification in the selection of space crewmen depending on their oral

health. 

The astronautical training program at Edwards AFB, Calif., received close dental supervision. 

When the National Aeronautics

and Space Administration (NASA) 

manned Space Flight Program began operating out of Houston in

the early 1960s, most of the astronauts were military and received

dental care at nearby Ellington

AFB. Specialists at Lackland AFB 

provided consultation and some 

clinical care when necessary. For 

example, in 1962, a chipped tooth 

necessitated a quick visit to Lackland by Lt. Col. John Glenn

shortly before his historic space

flight orbiting the earth. 

AEROSPACE DENTISTRY

Oral examination performed on Skylab, 1974.

Col. William F. Frome

Beginning in 1966, the Air Force 

assigned dental officer William F.

Frome full time to NASA at Houston 

who also worked with Wilford Hall

dental specialists as needed. He remained with NASA through the
71

AEROSPACE DENTISTRY

William Frome instructs astronaut Jim McDivitt on use of the in-flight dental kit 

prior to one of the early Apollo missions. McDivitt would soon be placed in charge 

of the Apollo program, eventually retiring as a general.

USAF dentist Col. William F. Frome experiencing weightlessness in NASA training.

“A position for an Air 

Force dental officer has 

been created at Manned 

Space Flight Center, 

Houston, TX, in an attempt to prevent possible space mission 

aborts of dental etiology.”

USAF Medical

 Services Digest, 

Sept, 1966

Skylab program of the 1970s and the 

Shuttle missions of the 1980s.

The short missions of Mercury

required no dental provisions. However, during Gemini, a toothbrush

accompanied the astronauts. By the

time of the Apollo flights, floss and 

toothpaste became a part of the inflight dental kit. 

In 1968 Ira L. Shannon at the

School of Aerospace Medicine,

Brooks AFB, Texas, developed a

foamless ingestible dentifrice called

“Nasadent.” This was necessary to

prevent the need to expectorate and

possible dispersal of saliva and debris in the weightless environment

of a space capsule. Regular toothpastes with detergents foam excessively in zero gravity conditions, and 

this particular dentifrice prevented

that. Other studies at SAM dealt

with finding an intermediate restorative material for potential use on

manned missions. 
72

EMERGENCY

 DENTAL KIT FOR 

SPACE MISSIONS

The Dental Service was tasked

to explore was how to handle an

unforeseen dental emergency in

space. Although the probability

was remote, it was an area the

Dental Service needed to research. 

In the zero-gravity, confined environment of a space capsule, the

possibility of accidental trauma to

the oral cavity existed, such as the

chipping of a front tooth. Of real

concern was the occasional barodontalgia and its possible repercussions in space. 

 Lt. Col. Jack Hartley at SAM 

in 1966, issued a report titled, “An 

Emergency Dental Kit Encasement 

for Use on Extraterrestrial Missions.” The research involved determining which dental instruments and materials, as well as

drugs, might be required in a

“buddy” dental care emergency. 

The kit would need to be lightweight, durable, compact, nontoxic, and operable in weightless

conditions. The kit was eventually

constructed of a high-impact styrene hard shell. Nopofoam served

as a core material. Because the

material could be form-fitted, instruments to be imbedded with

enough resistance to prevent falling out of the kit in a weightless

environment. The kit weighed only 

34.5 oz. and the dimensions were

roughly 12"x 6"x 2". It contained a 

forceps #1, forceps #2, mirror,

probes, hypodermic with five cartridges, a cartridge containing a

paste of premixed zinc oxide and

eugenol for use as a sedative, temporary restorative material, a corticosteroid paste to treat gingival

AEROSPACE DENTISTRY

REFLECTIONS

“AIR FORCE DENTISTRY 

WAS VERY PROGRESSIVE”

LT. COL. JACK. L. HARTLEY

 I entered the Air Force in 1951, and 

one of my earliest assignments was

at the National Bureau of Standards, 

and it was a wonderful work experience. It was an exciting time for the 

profession as we were working on all 

kinds of technological improvements 

that could revolutionize dentistry. 

One of my earliest projects as a participant was with Don Hudson on

the development of the Panorex. In 

1955, I was transferred to SAM and 

did a considerable amount of research on such things as the effect of 

diamond versus carbide burs on

tooth structure at high speeds which 

the newer dental handpieces were

generating. Towards the sixties, I

enjoyed the challenge of developing

a dental kit to accompany the astronauts in space. It was an exciting

time for the dental profession as well 

as for our nation’s space program,

and Air Force dentistry was very

much a part of the progress. 

FOOTNOTE:

After retiring from the Air Force,

Dr. Hartley taught in the Diagnostic

and Radiology Section at the University of Texas Dental School at San

Antonio. One of his fondest memories of research relates back to the

panorex. One of the Lackland inductees was discovered to have a 

mandibular lesion that would have

been missed without the use of the

Panorex. The patient was successfully treated; however, if the lesion

had been missed, more money would 

have been spent rehabilitating this

one patient than all the money the

Air Force initially allocated for the

Panorex development.

abrasions, gauze, and a flashlight. 

(See photo on page 5.)

Air Force dental officers William Roach and William Baker at

Wilford Hall taught the astronauts

basic dental procedure such as

placement of temporary restorations and simple extractions. The

training was comprehensive

enough to include direct chairside 

patient experience for the astronauts. Although the dental kit had 

been developed to support the

Apollo missions, in reality, it

would not be until Skylab in the 

early 1970s that the kit actually

accompanied space flight. By that 

time, it had been modified several

times. 

Lt. Col. Jack Hartley

In 1966, Air Force dental 

researchers at Brooks 

AFB issued a

 report titled, “An 

Emergency Dental Kit 

Encasement for Use

 on Extraterrestrial

 Missions.”
73

To date, the dental kit has

never been utilized, again, testimony that prevention is the best

cure. It is interesting to note that

the Russians did not plan as efficiently as NASA concerning dental ills during space flight. Cosmonaut Yuriy Romanenko suffered 

great pain for two weeks during

the space flight of Salyut 6 in

1978. No provisions for dental

pain were available. 

Another interesting footnote

to the dental kit is reminiscent of

the Apollo 13 mission, when all

available materials within the capsule were utilized to solve unforeseen problems. On one of the

Skylab missions, after exiting the

AEROSPACE DENTISTRY 

Dental space kit that accompanied prolonged space flights such as Skylab. 

Note the gigli saw at top left of photo, item #4.

earth’s atmosphere, one of the solar 

panels was damaged and the framework would have to be repaired outside the space capsule for it to work

properly. To correct the situation, the

metal panel might possibly have

needed to be cut in order to bend and 

reposition it. Houston Control Center

informed the astronauts of several options, one of which was to utilize the

gigli saw within the dental kit. It is a 

small, efficient medical tool for cutting through dense bone and had been 

placed in the emergency dental kit to

saw through a fixed prosthodontic appliance in order to remove only the

damaged part of an existing bridge. 

However, the astronauts who exited

the capsule were able to remove the

panel before resorting to the gigli 

saw.

Learning how to deal with

potential dental problems in

space remains a concern to

NASA. Retired USAF dentist

John M. Young now serves as

Medical Operations Consultant

to NASA developing dental instruments and guidelines for preventive and emergency procedures in a zero gravity environment. Control of infectious aerosols and air-borne particulates

within the confines of a space

capsule can be very challenging,

but can now be done thanks to

his research.
RESEARCH SOURCES

Army Dental History

Christen, Arden G. and Jendresen, Malcolm D., “Military Oral Medicine: The Character of Air Force Dentistry,” Dental Clinics of 

North America, (W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, PA, March 1968): 69-85.

Curtis, Eric, “Dentists At War,” Journal of the American College of Dentists, Vol. 63, No. 2 (Summer 1996): 31-33.

Highlights in the History of U.S. Army Dentistry, Office of the Chief, U.S. Army Dental Corps, Falls Church, VA, 1997.

Hyson, John M.,Jr., The United States Military Academy Dental Service, A History 1825-1920 (U.S. Army West Point, New 

York, 1989): 1,7-14, 48.

Jeffcoat, George F., A History of the United States Army Dental Service in World War II (Medical Department of the United States 

Army, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, DC, 1955): 1-7, 35, 332.

Poole, Philip, “The Origins of Military Dentistry,” Paper presented at Lindsay Society (June 1990): 22-25.

Ring, Malvin E., “S.S. White, Abraham Lincoln, and the Need for Dentists in the Union Armies,” Bulletin of the History

of Dentistry, Vol. 41, No. 2 (July 1993): 79-80.

World War II....Our Beginning

Jeffcoat, George F., A History of the United States Army Dental Service in World War II (Medical Department of the United States 

Army, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, DC, 1955): 35, 62, 162-165,184, 227-229, 290.

Highlights in the History of U.S. Army Dentistry, Office of the Chief, U.S. Army Dental Corps, Falls Church, VA, 1997.

Link, Mae Mills & Coleman, Hubert A., Medical Support, Army Air Forces in World War II (Office of the Air Force Surgeon General, Washington, DC): 454-55, 575, 790-792.

Mitchell, David F., “A History of Aviation Dentistry, with Emphasis on Development in the AAF During WWII,” Annals of 

Dentistry, Vol. 5 No. 1 (1946): 1-33.

Records of the Office of the Air Surgeon, AAF, 1917-1949, Record Group Summary 511, Federal Records of WWII, 

(Washington, DC): 1-4.

Aviation Dentistry

Christen, Arden G. and Jendresen, Malcolm D., “Military Oral Medicine: The Character of Air Force Dentistry,” Dental Clinics of 

North America, Vol. 6 (W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, PA, March 1968): 18.

Lalonde, Joseph B., “Barondontalgia,” USAF Medical Services Digest (April 1970): 35-37.

Mitchell, David F., “A History of Aviation Dentistry, with Emphasis on Development in the AAF During WW II,” Annals of 

Dentistry, Vol. 5 No. 1 (1946): 1-33.

George R. Kennebeck...Father of Air Force Dentistry 

Kennebeck, George R., Jr., Col. USA (Ret), Oral interview with author, Austin TX, Feb 12, 1996.

“National Defense: Air Force UPS Title of Chief Dental Officer,” Journal of the American Dental Association, 

Vol. 61 (Oct 1960): 508.

Reuter, Walter R., Col. USAF (Ret), Telephone interview with author, Feb 6, 1997.

Establishment of U.S. Air Force Dental Service

Jeffcoat, George F., A History of the United States Army Dental Service in World War II (Medical Department of the United States 

Army, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, DC, 1955): 337, 342.

Nanney, James S., “Background Paper on USAF Medical Badges and Emblems” Office of the Chief Historian to the USAF 

Surgeon General, Washington, DC.

Reuter, Walter R., Col. USAF (Ret), Telephone interview with author, Feb 6, 1997.

Semi-Annual Histories, Office of the USAF Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services, Archives of the Chief Historian to the 

USAF Surgeon General, Bolling AFB, DC (1949-1950): 1-13. 

“USAF Dental Service,” USAF Medical Service Digest, (Dec 1954): 2-4.

The Early Years...1949-1952

“Dental Briefs,” USAF Medical Service Digest (Sept 1952): 21. 

Jeffcoat, George F., A History of the United States Army Dental Service in World War II (Medical Department of the United 

States Army, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, DC, 1955): 6-21.

Reuter, Walter, Col. USAF (Ret), Personal notes and documents. Archives of the National Museum of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD.

Semi-Annual Histories, Office of the USAF Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services, Archives of the Chief Historian to the 

USAF Surgeon General, Bolling AFB, DC (1949-50): 1-13, (1951): 40-45, 179-192, (1952): 100-109, 140-146, (1953): 95-122. 

74
Administration and Management

Nanney, James S., “Background Paper on USAF Medical Badges and Emblems,” Office of the Chief Historian to the USAF Surgeon 

General, Washington, DC.

Semi-Annual Histories, Office of the USAF Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services, Archives of the Chief Historian to the USAF 

Surgeon General, Bolling AFB, DC (1951): 43, (1953): 115-117.

“USAF Dental Service,” USAF Medical Service Digest, (Dec 1954): 2-16.

Our Leaders

Almquist, Theodore C., Brig. Gen. USAF, Telephone interview with author, May 2, 1998.

Biddle, Harold H, Col. USAF (Ret), Telephone interview with author, Oct 17, 1997.

Bredlinger, Darwin, Col. USAF (Ret), Telephone interview with author, Aug 26, 1997.

Dybowski, Eugene, Col. USAF (Ret.) Telephone interview with author, Feb 13, 1996.

Gardener, Jerry D., Brig.Gen. USAF (Ret), Telephone interview with author, Feb 2, 1998.

Herbold, Edward T., Col. USAF (Ret), Oral interview with author, San Antonio, TX, Feb 13, 1996.

Hombs, Roger, Maj. Gen. USAF (Ret), Telephone interview with author, Oct 17, 1997.

Kennebeck, George R., Jr., Col. USA (Ret), Oral interview with author, Austin TX, Feb 12,1996.

Knowles, James W., Jr., Col. USAF, Oral interview with author, Randolph AFB, TX, Feb 14, 1996.

“National Defense,” Journal of the American Dental Association, 61 ( Oct 1960) 508-9.

Pilzak, Shirley, Secretary, Dental Division of USAF Surgeon General’s Office, Oral interview with author, Bolling AFB, DC, Oct 23, 1997.

Reuter, Walter R., Col. USAF (Ret), Personal notes and documents. Archives of National Museum of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD.

Sachsel, Arthur J., Maj.Gen. USAF (Ret), Letter correspondence with author.

Tieck, Walter, C., Jr., CMSgt. USAF, Oral interview with author, Bolling AFB, DC, Oct 23, 1997.

Enlisted Training

“Armed Forces Review,” Journal of the American Dental Association, 47 ( Sept 1953): 367.

“Dental Briefs,” USAF Medical Service Digest (Dec 1950): 12,13, (June 1951): 13, (Mar 1952): 57, (May 1952): 15-16.

Engelmeier, Robert L., “A Brief History of USAF Prosthodontics, ” Journal of the History of Dentistry, Vol. 45, No. 2 (July 

1997):71-78.

Gream, Susan L., CMSgt. USAF (Ret), Letter correspondence with author.

Jeffcoat, George F., A History of the United States Army Dental Service in World War II (Medical Department of the United States 

Army, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, DC, 1955): 163.

“Semi-Annual Histories, Office of the USAF Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services, Archives of the Chief Historian to the USAF 

Surgeon General, Bolling AFB, DC (1949-1950): 3-5, (1951): 189-90, (1952): 107-109, (1983): 3.

“USAF Dental Service,” TIC (Ticonium Company), 32 (Feb 1973): 13.

Officer Training

Coughlin, Jan, Who’s Who in Dental Residencies at Wilford Hall Medical Center, 1956-1997, Dental Education Branch, Wilford Hall 

Medical Center, Lackland AFB, TX, 1996.

“Dental Briefs,” USAF Medical Service Digest (Feb 1951): 10-11, (Dec 1952): 18.

Girvan, Thomas B., Col. USAF, Oral interview with author, Lackland AFB, TX, May 2, 1998.

Nanney, James S., “Historical Review of Wilford Hall Medical Center,” USAF Medical Services Digest (Winter 1992): 12,13.

Semi-Annual Histories, Office of the USAF Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services, Archives of the Chief Historian to the USAF 

Surgeon General, Bolling AFB, DC (1949-1950): 3-5, (1951): 42-43, 187-89.

General Dentistry and Hospital Dentistry

Baker, William, Col. USAF (Ret), Oral interview with author, San Antonio, TX, Feb 6, 1996.

Nevins, Steven J., Col. USAF, Oral interview with author, Lackland AFB, TX, May 7, 1998.

Westbrook, Steven D., Col. USAF, Telephone interview with author, Aug 19, 1998.

Prosthodontics and Maxillofacial Prosthetics

Engelmeier, Robert L., “A Brief History of USAF Prosthodontics, ” Journal of the History of Dentistry, Vol. 45 No 2 (July 1997):71-78.

Erickson, Doug, Lt. Col. USAF, Oral interview with author, Lackland AFB, TX, May 7, 1998.

Rudd, Kenneth D., Col. USAF (Ret), Oral interview with author, San Antonio, TX, Feb 6, 1996. 

Smith, Rick M., Col. USAF, Oral interview with author, Lackland AFB, TX, May 7, 1998.

Periodontics

75
Burnette, Elmer, Col. USAF (Ret), Hoskins, Sam, Col. USAF (Ret), and Meffert, Roland, Col., USAF (Ret.), Oral 

interview with author, San Antonio, TX, Feb 7, 1996.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

“Dental Briefs,” USAF Medical Service Digest (July 1952): 11.

Egin, Wendell A., Col. USAF, Oral interview with author, Lackland AFB, TX, May 6, 1998.

Mohnac, Alex M., Col. USAF (Ret), Letter correspondence with author.

Endodontics, Orthodontics, and Pedodontics

Gamm, Jeffrey H., Col. USAF, Letter correspondence with author.

Orthodontic Department, Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, TX, Letter correspondence with author.

Schindler, William G., Col. USAF (Ret), Telephone interview with author, Aug 20, 1998.

Wallace, William A., Col. USAF (Ret), Telephone interview with author, Aug 20, 1998.

Consultants

Christen, Arden G., Col. USAF (Ret), Letter correspondence with author.

“Dental Briefs,” USAF Medical Service Digest (Nov 1950): 12, (June 1951): 13, (Aug 1952): 31, (April 1953):29, (Oct 1953): 

20-21.

Reuter, Walter R., Col. USAF (Ret), Personal notes and documents. Archives of National Museum of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD. 

Facilities, Staffing and Equipment

“Dental Briefs,” USAF Medical Service Digest, (Jan 1951): 13, (Mar 1952): 26, (Sept 1952): 20, (June, 1952): 67, (Feb 1953): 

20-21. 

“Mobile Dental Unit,” USAF Medical Service Digest (June 1952): 6,7.

“National Defense: Air Force UPS Dental Commission to Captain,” Journal of the American Dental Association 65 (Sept 1963): 396.

Reuter, Walter R., Col. USAF, “Dental Staffing of the U.S. Air Force,” Testimony before House Appropriations Committee on Sept 13 , 

1951.

Reuter, Walter R., Col. USAF (Ret), Personal notes and documents. Archives of the Dr. Samuel Harris National Museum of 

Dentistry, Baltimore, MD.

Semi-Annual Histories, Office of the USAF Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services, Archives of the Chief Historian to the USAF 

Surgeon General, Bolling AFB, DC (1951): 185-186, (1955): 146.

Opening the Ranks

ADA Survey Center, 1995 Distribution of Dentists in the United States, ADA News (May 1997): 4 and (June 16, 1997): 4.

Bober-Moken, Irene G., Lt. Col. USAF, Letter correspondence with author.

Coughlin, Jan, “Who’s Who in Dental Residencies at Wilford Hall Medical Center, 1956-1997,” Dental Education Branch, Wilford 

Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, TX.

Crimring, Harry, “Something Different in Uniforms,” Journal of American Dental Association, 63(July 1961): 95-97.

Gering, Becky L., Col. USAF, Oral interview with author, Dyess AFB, TX, Feb 4, 1998.

Gream, Susan L., CMSgt., USAF (Ret), Letter correspondence with author.

Hampton, Green, Col., USAF (Ret), Letter correspondence with author.

Hyson, John M., Jr., “African-American Dentists in the U.S. Army: The Origins,” Military Medicine 161 (July 1996): 375-381.

Hyson, John M., Jr., “Female Dentists in the U.S. Army: The Origins,” Military Medicine 160 (Feb 1995): 57-97.

Hightower, Katie, “Women in the Military, Not to be Forgotten,” The Officer (May 1997): 14-16.

Jeffcoat, George F., A History of the United States Army Dental Service in World War II (Medical Department of the United States 

Army, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, DC, 1955): 102.

Simmons, Ellen M., Col. ,USAF, Telephone interview with author, Feb, 5, 1997.

Preventive Dentistry

Christen, Arden G., Col. USAF (Ret), Oral interview with author, Washington, DC, Oct 16, 1997.

Christen, Arden G., “Preventive Dentistry in the USAF: 1952-1976, People, Places and Events, ” Aeromedical Review, USAF School of 

Aerospace Medicine, Brooks AFB, TX, Nov, 1976. 

Crigger, Laurence P., Col. USAF (Ret), Telephone interview with author, Aug 21, 1998.

“Dental Briefs,” USAF Medical Services Digest (June 1955): 17.

Elwell, Kenneth R., “USAF Preventive Dentistry Program -Its First Decade,” Journal of American Dental Association 66 (1963): 

711.

Harris, Norman O., Col. USAF (Ret), Oral interview with author, San Antonio, TX, Feb 13, 1996.

76
Martin, Gary C., Lt. Col. USAF, Telephone interview with author, Aug 20, 1998.

Mattis, Bruce A., Col. USAF (Ret), Letter correspondence with author.

Segretto, Vincent A., Col. USAF (Ret), Oral interview with author, San Antonio, TX, Feb 8, 1996.

Semi-Annual Histories, Office of the USAF Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services, Archives of the Chief Historian to the USAF 

Surgeon General, Bolling AFB, D.C. (1953): 96, 119-120, (1955):143.

Oral Research

Semi-Annual Histories, Office of the USAF Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services, Archives of the Chief Historian to the USAF 

Surgeon General, Bolling AFB, DC (1949-1950): 5,12, 67, (1953): 99-105. 

“Armed Forces Review: Dental Research Advisory Committee Created by Army,” Journal of the American Dental Association, 

39 (Aug 1949): 222.

Aten, Floyd, “Dentist Drills Faster, Hurts Less, ” San Antonio News, San Antonio, TX, March 19, 1948, pg. 18.

“Dental Briefs,” USAF Medical Service Digest, (June 1952): 8. 

Erickson, Doug, Lt. Col. USAF, Oral interview with author, Lackland AFB, TX, May 7, 1998.

Hartley, Jack L., Col. USAF (Ret), Oral interview with author, San Antonio, TX, Feb 14, 1996.

Hester, Warren R., Col. USAF (Ret), Oral interview with author, San Antonio, TX, May 5, 1997.

Hudson, D.C., Hartley, J.L., Moore, R., and Sweeney, W.T., “Factors Influencing the Cutting Characteristics of Rotating 

Dental Instruments, “Journal of the American Dental Association, 50 (April 1955): 377-382.

James, W.J., Slabbekoorn, M.A., Edgin, W.A., and Hardin, C.K., “Correction of Congenital Molar Hypoplasia Using Stereolitho graphy 

for Presurgical Planning,” Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 56 (1998): 512-517.

“National Institute of Dental Research to Celebrate 50-Year Anniversary,” American Dental Association News (May 1998): 1,10.

Young, John M. and Altschuler, Bruce R. “Laser Holography in Dentistry,” Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, Vol. 38 No. 2 

(Aug 1977): 216-225.

Young, John M., Col. USAF (Ret), Telephone interview with author, April 14, 1998.

Dental Investigation Service

Mills, Shannon E., Col. USAF, and Plamondon, Thomas J., Lt Col. USAF, Oral interview with author, Brooks AFB, TX, Feb 7, 1996.

Young, John M., Col. USAF (Ret), Oral interview with author, San Antonio, TX, Feb 5, 1996.

Bartoloni, Joe, A., Lt. Col. USAF, Telephone interview with author, Brooks AFB, TX, April 24, 1998.

Oral Pathology 

Brannon, Robert R., Col. USAF (Ret), Letter correspondence with author. 

Houston, Glenn, Col. USAF (Ret), Telephone interview with author, Aug 24, 1997.

Sprague, William R., Col. USAF (Ret), Telephone interview with author, Feb 2, 1997.

Forensic Dentistry

Brannon, Robert R., Col. USAF (Ret), Letter correspondence with author. 

“Crash Procedures,” USAF Medical Service Digest (Feb 1953): 23-25.

“Dental Briefs,” USAF Medical Service Digest (Aug 1951): 10-11, (Feb 1953): 23-25.

Highlights in the History of U.S. Army Dentistry, Office of the Chief, U.S. Army Dental Corps, Falls Church, VA, 1997.

Morlang, William M., Col. USAF, Oral interview with author, Brooks AFB, TX, Feb 7, 1996.

Reuter, Walter R., Col. USAF (Ret), Personal notes and documents. Archives of the National Museum of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD.

Smith, Joseph H., “Dental Forensic Identification at Dover,” USAF Medical Services Digest (Winter, 1991):9-11.

Combat Dentistry, World War II and Korea

Bober-Moken, Irene G., “American Military Dentists As Prisoners-of-War in the Pacific During World War II,” Bulletin of the History 

of Dentistry, Vol. 42 No. 1, (March 1994): 3-12. 

Hester, Warren R., Col. USAF (Ret), Oral interview with author, San Antonio, TX, May 5, 1997.

Historical Highlights of the Army Dental Corps. U.S. Army Medical Department, Learning Resources Center, Fort Bliss, TX.

Jeffcoat, George F., A History of the United States Army Dental Service in World War II, (U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, DC, 1955): 86, 117-118, 293, 306-312.

“Korean Dental Clinic,” USAF Medical Service Digest (June 1952): 8-9.

Combat Dentistry, Vietnam

Bean, Steven, Historical Archivist of American Dental Association, Chicago, IL, Letter correspondence with author.

Chisick, Michael C. and King, John E., “Dental Epidemiology of Military Operations,” Military Medicine, 158 (Sept 1993): 581-585.

“Dental Briefs,” USAF Medical Services Digest (May 1966): 26.

77
78

Englemier, Robert L., Col. USAF (Ret), Telephone interview with author, Feb 3, 1998.

Gardner, Jerry D., Brig. Gen. USAF (Ret), Telephone interview with author, Feb 3, 1998.

Morlang, William M., Col. USAF, Oral interview with author, San Antonio, TX, Feb 7, 1996.

Teweles, Robert B. and King, John E., “Impact of Troop Dental Health on Combat Readiness,” Military Medicine 152 (May 1987): 233-235.

Wynkoop, J., Hawley, C., King, J., and West, L., “An Analysis of Dental Emergencies During Combat and Peacetime Exercises,” 

Military Medicine 151 (July, 1986): 364-367.

Young, John M., Col. USAF (Ret), Oral interview with author, San Antonio, TX, Feb 5, 1996.

Combat Dentistry, Gulf War

Bishop, Barry G. and Donnelly, Jerome C., “Proposed Criteria for Classifying Potential Dental Emergencies in Department of Defense Military Personnel,” 

Military Medicine 162 (Feb 1997): 130-134.

Chisick, Michael C. and King, John E., “Dental Epidemology of Military Operations,” Military Medicine, 158 (Sept 1993): 581-85.

Linton, Donald S., Maj. USAF, Oral interview with author, Dyess AFB, TX, Aug 25, 1997.

Semi-Annual Histories, Office of the USAF Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services, Archives of the Chief Historian to the USAF Surgeon General, 

Bolling AFB, DC (1991): 105.

Smythe, Susan J., Col. USAF, Oral interview with author, Bolling AFB, DC, Oct 17, 1997.

Wasserman, G. M., Martin, B.C., and Hyams, K.C., “A Survey of Outpatient Visits in a United States Army Forward Unit during 

Operation Desert Shield,” Military Medicine 162 (June 1997): 374-379.

Wynkoop, J.R., Hawley, C.E., King, J.E., and West, L.A., “An Analysis of Dental Emergencies During Combat and Peacetime Exercises,” Military Medicine

151 (July 1986): 364-367. 

Operations Other than War

Chenet, Chedric C., Lt.Col., USAF, Oral interview with author, Kelly AFB, TX, Feb 13, 1996.

Flaherty, Scott, “Dentists Stay Busy with 212th MASH in Croatia,” HSC Mercury (March 1993): 8.

Jerman, Albert C., “Busman’s Holiday,” USAF Medical Service Digest (Mar 1973): 36,37.

Zellhoefer, Robert W., “Civic Action Dentistry,” USAF Medical Services Digest (July 1966): 23,24.

Reserve Components

“Air Force 50th Reserve 1948-1998,” Citizen Airman (April 1998): 5,10,14.

Barkmeier, Wayne W., Brig. Gen. USAFR (Ret), Telephone interview with author, Sept 18, 1998.

Bunn, Carol T. Wilson, “Reserve Soars into New Era as Major Command,” The Officer (April 1997): 14.

Callison, Gordon M. and Matthews, Barry, “A System for Tracking Dental Readiness in the Air Force,” Military Medicine 163 (April 1998): 239-

243.

Carroll, Robert G., and Goudelock, Walter E., “Wartime Medical Training on Rise in Air Force Reserve,” USAF Medical Services Digest (Spring/

Summer, 1986): 14,15.

Chapman, Samuel B., “Air National Guard Medical Service,” USAF Medical Services Digest (1976): 35,36.

Citizen Airmen, Special Anniversary Issue (Aug 1998): 4,12,19

Clements, Robert V., Brig. Gen. USAFR (Ret), Telephone interview with author, Sept 18, 1998.

Greene, Edward H., Brig. Gen. ANGR, Telephone interview with author, Sept 18, 1998.

Jeffcoat, George F., A History of the United States Army Dental Service in World War II (Medical Department of the United States Army, U.S. 

Government Printing Office, Washington 25, DC, 1955): 5,48, 62-67.

Kennedy, L.M., “A Tribute to Jim Hollers,” Texas Dental Journal, (Nov 1975): 11-17.

Levy, Michael H., “Personnel Center Marks 43 years,” Citizen Airman (June, 1997): 14.

“Our Heritage, The Reserve Family Tree,” Citizen Airman (Feb 1995): 6.

Oliver, Dalton S., “Air Medical Reserve,” USAF Medical Services Digest (1976): 33,34.

“Reserve Dentists Recalled To Active Duty Total Over 3,000,” Journal of the American Dental Association 43 (July 1951): 104.

Szarlan, R. Carl, Brig. Gen. ANGR, Telephone interview with author, Sept 10, 1998.

Stout, Walter C., The First One Hundred Years: A History of Dentistry in Texas (The Eagan Co., Dallas, TX): 341-344.

Weaver, James D., “Air National Guard Medical Service,” USAF Medical Services Digest (July/Aug 1979): 50-52.

Aeromedical Dentistry

Christen, Arden G. and Jendresen, Malcolm D., “Military Oral Medicine: The Character of Air Force Dentistry,” 

Dental Clinics of North America, Vol. 6 (W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, PA, March 1968): 18.

Morlang, William M., Col. USAF, Oral interview with author, Brooks AFB, TX, Feb 7, 1996.

“Dental Briefs,” USAF Medical Service Digest (June 1964): 21,22.

Young, John M., Col. USAF (Ret), Oral interview with author, Feb 5, 1996.

Aerospace Dentistry

Baker, William, Col. USAF (Ret), Oral interview with author, San Antonio, TX, Feb 6, 1996. 

“NASA Dentist,” USAF Medical Service Digest (Sept 1966): 21.

Ferguson, Jack H. and Hartley, Jack H., “An Emergency Dental Kit Encasement for Use on Extraterrestrial Missions,” USAF School of Aerospace 
79

Medicine, Brooks AFB, TX, April 1966. 

Frome, William J., Col. USAF (Ret), Letter correspondence with author.

Hartley, Jack L., Lt. Col. USAF (Ret), Oral interview with author, San Antonio, TX, Feb 14, 1996.

Hartley, Jack L. and Hall, Gaylord L., “Astrostomatology, Dental Standards for the Selection and Examination of Space Crew

men,” USAF School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks AFB, TX, June 1966.

Patterson, Joe, Col. USAF (Ret) Letter correspondence with author.
80
81

Almquist, Theodore C., 22,23 

Arnim, Sumter, 39,48

Baker, William, 72

Barkmeier, Wayne W., 66

Biddle, Harold H., 29

Bird, Walter H., 16

Bisung, Barbara G. (King), 45

Brannon, Robert R., 56

Brown, Cecil E., 37

Burch, Richard J., 30,36

Burnette, Elmer W., 36

Butz, Donald J., 21,23

Byerly, William T., 61

Camm, Jeffrey H., 38

Cathroe, James S., 5,20

Chenet, Cedreck C., 63

Christen, Arden G., 4,47,48

Clements, Robert, V., 66

Cogswell, Wilton W., 36,39

Copeland, Henry L., 30

Cornyn, John, 56

Crigger, Laurence P., 49

Davenport, William L., 45

Devlyn, John E., 47

Davis, Francis, 44

Derricotte, Eugene A., 44

Detamore, Robert J., 47

Drake, Philip L., 44

Dunn, Benjamin W., 20,21,32,43,67

Dusold, Raymond J., 60

Elwell, Kenneth R., 16,46,49

Engelmeier, Robert L., 34

Erickson, Doug, 53

Fagley, Fay M., 45

Faner, Richard M., 39

Ferguson, Richard, 66

Fischer, Theodore E., 50,52

Foster, C.S., 38

Fowler, Craig B., 39

Frome, William J., 70,71

Gardner, Jerry D., 22,23,61,62

Gering, Becky L., 45

Goodrich, Michael T., 24

Gordon, Sydney G., 41

Gream, Susan L.,45

Green, Hampton, Jr., 66

Greene, Edward H., 44

Hansen, Steven R., 39

Harlan, Maurice C., 20,21

Hartley, Jack L., 4,51,52,72

Harris, Norman O., 4,47

Hartman, Kenton S., 56

Herman, Dale P., 25

Hester, Warren R., 47,50.52.53.59

Hilton, Thomas J., 45

Hinricks, Robin E., 45

Hollers, James P., 66,67

Hombs, Roger, 21,22,54

Hooker, Southern P., 56,57

Hoskins, Sam, 36,38

Hudson, Donald C., 50,51,72

Huff, Thomas L., 35

Hyson, John, 13

Jendresen, Malcolm D., 51

Jerman, Albert, C., 47

Jones, James R., 50,62

Kartman, Jules D., 30,36

Kazmer, Charles P., 24,25

Kennebeck, George R., 4,9-14,16,20,40,66

Kennebeck, Marvin E., 20,30,40,46,66

Kennedy, Arthur G., 25

Ketchum, Frank H., 38

Kiecker, Paul L., 43,60,62

Knudtzon, Kermit R., 10,38,39,50

Kolodney, Stanley C., 21,22

Langsjoen, Erick, 38

Leary, Rose M., 45

Leonard, Daniel L.,39

Leonard, Ovide R., 31

Levering, Nicholas J., 38,39

Lightner, Lee M., 21,26,27

Lindell, Kathleen A., 45

MacKown, John L., 32,43

Mahan, Charles J., 38

Mansueto, Michael A., 39

Markley, Miles R., 39,45,52

Martin, Gary C., 39,49

Marx, Robert E., 37

Matiasevich, Laurie N., Jr., 23

Mattis, Bruce A., 46,48

Mayhew, Robert, 48

McIntosh, Robert A., 65

Meffert, Roland M., 42

Messersmith, Marion, 44

Meyers, John W., 37

Mills, Michael P., 39

Mitchell, David F., 10-11

Mohnac, Alex M., 36-38,58

Morlang, William M. II, 57,61,69

Muth, Eugene R., 47

Nevins, Steven J., 33

Ogle, Dan C., 31

O’Leary, Timothy J., 36

Palmer, Hubert, 46,50

Palmer, Sam, 53

Rachlin, Raya, 45

Reuter, Walter R., 13,14,16,30,40,50,57

Richarson, Frederick H., 58

Roach, William, 72

Roder, Michael R., 25

Rollins, Dee, 42

Romanenko, Yurii, 73

Rudd, Kenneth D., 30,34.38,57

Rudd, Robert W., 34

Sachsel, Arthur J., 16,21,23

Salamander, Regan M., 39

Salimeno, Thomas, Jr., 51

Samaha, Francis J., 38

Santaniello, Joe P., 66

Satrom, Kirk D., 39

Saunders, William, 6,7

Schindler, William G., 37

Schroeder, Wilbert A., 30

Schuessler, Carlos F., 47,50,52

Schulman, Elliot R., 38

Scow, Oliver, 59

Segretto, Vincent A., 47

Senia, Steven E., 37

Shannon, Ira L., 47,71

Simmons, Ellen M., 45

Simon, Denis E., 37

Sitzman, John K., 16,30

Smart, Elliot, 37

Smidy, Donald R., 61

Smith, Rick M., 35

Smythe, Susan J., 45

Snyder, Oscar P., 38

Sprague, William R., 38,56

Sundberg, Paul V., Jr., 47

Summit, James, P., 33

Swayze, B.C., 44

Szarlan, R. Carl, 66

Thompson, obert L., 21,22,43,54

Tieck, Walter C., Jr., 25

Walker, William A. III,37

Warnick, John, 33

Weaver, Suart J.,24

Westbrook, Steven D.,33,39

Young, John M., 54,55,68,73

INDEX OF NAMES