Dental Specialists

Background

Dental care is one of the health services provided to all military personnel. It is available in military dental clinics all over the world. Dental specialists help manage dental offices. Dental specialists assist military dentists in examining and treating patients. 

What They Do

Dental specialists in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

• Clean patients' teeth using scaling and polishing instruments and equipment
• Help dentists during examinations by preparing dental compounds and operating dental equipment
• Help dentists perform oral surgery
• Operate dental x-ray equipment and process x-rays of patients' teeth, gums, and jaws
• Perform administrative duties, such as scheduling office visits, keeping patient records, and ordering dental supplies
• Prepare for patient examinations by selecting and arranging instruments and medications
• Provide guidance to patients on daily care of their teeth

Physical Demands

Dental specialists must sometimes stand for long periods.

Special Requirements

No information available.

Helpful Attributes

Helpful attributes include:

• Ability to follow spoken instructions and detailed procedures
• Good eye-hand coordination
• Interest in working with people

Helpful School Subjects

Helpful school subjects include:

• Biology
• Chemistry

Helpful Fields of Study

No information available.

Work Environment

Dental specialists in the military usually work indoors in dental offices or clinics. Some specialists may be assigned to duty aboard ships.

Services offering this career:

• Air Force
• Army
• Coast Guard
• Navy

Hiring Practices

To serve in the military, a person must be at least 17; the maximum age for enlistment varies. To enlist, a person must pass a physical exam and an aptitude test. An enlistee must also meet military standards of discipline and be a US citizen or permanent resident alien.

This position is for enlisted personnel.

Wages

The military is competitive with the civilian world when it comes to pay and benefits. All branches offer the same basic pay and benefits.

Pay depends mainly on rank or grade as well as length of service. Bonuses and the situation in which the person is serving (for example: flight duty, sea duty, hazardous duty) also affect pay. 

Cost-of-living increases usually occur every year, based on inflation. The military also pays allowances for food, clothing, and housing. All these factors combined are called Regular Military Compensation (RMC). They should all be considered when comparing military pay to civilian pay.

There are two main parts to RMC: basic pay and allowances. There are also additional incentives for special abilities, training, or hazardous duty.

Check out the RMC Calculator to calculate your RMC based on your inputs.

Training Provided

Job training consists of nine to 14 weeks of classroom instruction, including practice in dental care tasks.

Course content typically includes:

• Dental hygiene procedures
• Dental office procedures
• Preventive dentistry
• Radiology (x-ray) techniques

Further training occurs on the job and through advanced courses.

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian dental specialists work in dental offices or clinics. Their work is similar to work in the military. They typically specialize in assisting dentists to treat patients, provide clerical support (dental assistants), or clean teeth (dental hygienists).

Related Civilian Careers

• Dental Assistants
• Dental Hygienists

Employment and Outlook

In peace time the services have about 6,000 dental specialists. In times of military action the number may be different, depending on the type of specialties required. Each year the services need new specialists due to changes in personnel and the demands of the field. After job training, new specialists are assigned to dental offices or clinics, where they work under the supervision of dentists. With experience, dental specialists perform more difficult tasks involving patient care. In time, they may become responsible for assisting dental officers in the management of dental programs.