Sam Osborn is a recent dental graduate working in the Australian Regular Army. In this article he provides a brief insight into his life as a Dental Officer.
Just shy of my final year of dental school I was met with the pressures of financing my final year placements, securing full-time employment, and ensuring my place of employment was committed to mentoring and not just money making. On top of this I was chasing the work-life balance, opportunities to play sport, and after years of living in cooler climates...sunshine!
I spoke with several lecturers, tutors, colleagues and friends who had either worked for, or knew someone who had worked for Defense, and all gave glowing reports. Consequently, I decided to apply.
I was notified after my Officer Selection Board that I was successful in gaining a position and commenced my final year of study knowing that all I had to do was graduate; free from the shackles of finding a job, and with my $1800 a fortnight allowance, able to eat food a little bit more exotic than 'mee goreng' noodles and Aldi budget bacon.
Graduation came and past, and before I knew it I was commencing my posting in Brisbane. I arrived at barracks, was examined and subsequently waved through by the security guard at the entrance gate. I entered the dental hospital and was given a brief by fire on all things Army; the rank structure, how and when to salute, when and where to wear my hat, which hat to wear. Everything was so alien, which proved to be beneficial, because instead of being overcome with nerves at the prospect of starting life as a dentist, I took solace in, and was excited about practicing something with which I had relative familiarity compared to this unknown world of green.
My introduction ended, 0730 ticked over, and my first patient was seated in the chair. In my first day I would conduct several annual dental examinations; complete some routine restorations, treatment plan endodontic and prosthodontic work, and write a referral to the oral surgeon regarding impacted wisdom teeth.
It has been over six months since that day and the frenetic pace has not abated. I am routinely exposed to every major facet of dentistry; diagnosis and treatment, preventive dentistry, fixed and removable prosthodontics, endodontics, periodontics and oral surgery. There are some exceptions, such as placing implants, but opportunities exist for paid post-graduate studies after a certain period of service. In addition to post-graduate training, the Dental Company provides and encourages participation in continuing education courses, seminars and conferences.
Dentistry in the Army seems to be about being great at the basics, continually improving, and advancing one's education so that experience and skills can coalesce in order to provide best possible patient care.
Now while there is no difference in the dentistry we practice, other than the fact that every person who sits in the chair is a soldier, the dentistry is different due to the fact that dental officers are trained to work in barracks, field, or operational environments. Teams journey to remote indigenous communities and are deployed overseas in order to take part in humanitarian efforts to provide care to underprivileged patients in different parts of the world.
In addition, I have participated in medical evacuation obstacle courses, learnt how to handle a weapon for the purposes of protection under the Geneva Convention, been instructed on how to command a health platoon, and will shortly undertake helicopter underwater evacuation training in order to effectively ply my dental skills in, and navigate through, unique environments if the need arises. Further, since all dental officers are commissioned Australian Army officers, we are trained in, and enjoy the responsibilities and rewards of leadership.
Consequently, while the initial inundation of green, crew-cuts, and protocols can be stifling, the enormous array of dental cases, varied working environments, and military training serve to provide a cumulative experience, which is unrivaled by the private sector and without a doubt broadens one's perspective.
This is why despite there being no difference in the dentistry, working as a dental officer really is dentistry with a difference.
Sam Osborn
Dental Graduate