LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- With the mission of tending to Laughlin’s permanent party Airmen and the constant processing of incoming pilots to the wing’s training program, the 47th Medical Operations Squadron dental flight has a tall order to fill.
Capt. Luke Czer, 47th MDOS dentist, has been at Laughlin for two years and talks about the services the small dental practice provides, and how they manage to keep up with the high demand.
“We provide different types of restorations like fillings, root canals and full crowns,” Czer said. “It’s a lot of services we offer to a large population, but we have a great team that makes it work every day,”
The high demand is no problem as Rita Riojas, one of the clinic’s dental technicians, describes, the goal is to make every Airmen feel like they’re the only patient in the clinic.
“Our main objective is to take care of the patient regardless of time,” Riojas said. “We give patients quality time with us without sacrificing so we can care for them in the best way possible.”
The clinic can even procure its own fillings and replacement teeth made either traditionally or through digital imaging, performed by lead lab technician Staff Sgt. Mark Hughes, Jr.
“Any type of dental appliance that goes [in] a patient’s mouth is made here,” Hughes said. “Every appliance is custom made by a lab technician, and it’s made with either gold or porcelain.”
It’s about recognizing people and being relational with patients that provide a quality experience which, according to Riojas, not only ensures a smooth operation but a quality experience as well for tending to Laughlin’s needs.
“When they come here, they’re going to get taken care of,” said Riojas. “If they’re nervous or have anxiety, we make sure they’re at ease, and we make sure we take care of their dental needs in the most comfortable way possible so when they come for their next appointment there’s no fear or anxiety.”
A way to ease the anxiety of checking in with the dentist for a major surgery is preventing the need of having a major surgery performed in the first place, hence Staff Sgt. Jonna Berry’s, 47th MDOS dental hygienist, approach to prevention by providing information and programs to help provide the knowledge necessary to avoid a major visit.
“We’re always happy to go around and either give lessons on oral care or provide the tools necessary to do so,” Berry said. “We have a whole lot of toothbrushes and floss for anybody who can’t afford them to come by and take if they need it.”
The lab technicians can also make custom earpieces for radio operators and mouth-guards for anybody that’s participating in the season’s upcoming sports.
“Football is about to start here in a bit,” Hughes said. “Instead of getting a [mouth guard], we can make custom ones here in the lab for those who are playing sports.”
The dental clinic on Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas is a service that provides quality, full-scale care and healing for one’s teeth, but also the information and tools necessary to care for Laughlin’s Airmen but also by providing education for the local community as well.