Dental hygienists celebrate 50 years of service in the Canadian Forces Dental Services.

THIS YEAR IS AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE FOR Canadian Forces dental hygienists, both military and civilian--we are celebrating 50 years of service to military members. Dental hygienists have been an important part of the Canadian Forces Dental Services (CFDS) and of its predecessor, the Royal Canadian Dental Corps (RCDC), for five decades. As the Senior Dental Hygienist in the CFDS, I am pleased to write about dental hygienists' history in the unit and a bit about our job and how it compares with a civilian dental hygiene position.

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HISTORY

Ret'd Colonel D.H. Protheroe, in his history of the Dental Corps, (1) described the 1956 introduction of dental hygienists into the service as one of the most important events in its history. He said that, without the contribution of the dental hygienists, it would have been impossible to initiate the very successful preventive dentistry program. Dental hygienists can be proud of their role in the provision of dental services to the military.

In 1956, the Royal Canadian Dental Corps employed the first two dental hygienists, Flight Sergeants P.E. Savage and C.M.B. Torrens, who had received their dental hygiene training in England. Sergeants R.H. Daw and H. Thorsson, the first two dental hygiene graduates from the Royal Canadian Dental Corps School, also joined the RCDC in 1956. The RCDC School was located in Ottawa until 1958 and then at Canadian Forces Base, CFDSS, Borden, Ontario, until 1993 when the Canadian Forces dental hygiene program was closed.

During the early years of the profession, dental hygienists were referred to as "Dental Technicians Clinical." Although the Technician Clinical course was extremely difficult, it was not accredited until years later because at the time, civilian dental hygienists received their training only through university programs.

The years between 1981 and 1986 saw the worst shortage of military dental hygienists since their incorporation in the CFDS and over 20 Direct Entry Dental Hygienists were enrolled in the Canadian Forces under the Direct Entry Program. This program was created and opened at Recruit Centers for only a few years in the 1980s in order to hire trained civilian dental hygienists who did not have to go to the CFDSS or RCDC Schools.

PRESENT-DAY STAFFING AND TRAINING

The number of dental hygienists has been downsized from 70 Military Dental Hygienists to 26 Established Positions, classified as a sub-occupation of the Dental Technician Occupation. Our small but vibrant team of 26 military and 50 civilian dental hygienists is assigned to 26 dental detachments (clinics) across Canada. (See figure 1.)

Advanced Training List--reassignment to the dental hygienists' specialty--is carried out through the two-year dental hygiene program in five Ontario Colleges: Algonquin College, La Cite Collegiale, George Brown College, College Boreale, and Georgian College. Dental technicians who meet the criteria for the program can apply through Dental Headquarters in Ottawa to be selected for the two-year accredited civilian dental hygiene program. Between one and five candidates are selected annually for this training.

Numerous civilian dental hygienists, full- and part-time, help the CFDS achieve its preventive dentistry goals. The civilian dental hygienists could be hired through a local employment agency or the Civilian Human Resource Office (CHRO) that exists on every military base.

MILITARY DENTAL HYGIENISTS COMPARED WITH CIVILIAN

The most obvious difference between military and civilian dental hygienists is the fact that we wear a military uniform. To distinguish ourselves among the 66,000 Canadian Forces members, we wear hat badges--the Dental Crest. We belong to the "Profession of Arms" as any other soldier as we are soldiers first!

The patients also differ quite significantly in the military and civilian environments. Dental hygienists in the civilian "world" see clients who range in age from children to the elderly and these clients pay for their oral care. The majority of CFDS patients are healthy adult males who do not pay for their dental services. The CFDS mission is to "ready the soldier," making sure that our military members are always dentally fit to deploy anywhere on short notice. We offer a universal standard of care for all entitled personnel in all locations on a "24/7 access to care" basis. Every Canadian Forces member has a dental examination annually. A minimal acceptable fitness level must be reached and followed by a prophylaxis treatment.

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The most obvious similarity between military and civilian dental hygienists is that, on a daily basis, we carry out the same duties as a chairside provider. (See figure 2.) The most obvious difference is that we may get a chance to be deployed on ship or on tour and operations. We also are posted everywhere in Canada or across the world, sometimes on short notice. We enjoy these challenges--they keep us interested!

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WHY WE ENJOY OUR MILITARY CAREER

We are often asked about what keeps us in the CFDS as dental hygienists. Here are just a few reasons:

* The "esprit de corps" among colleagues and civilian counterparts: -- We love the sense of family in our Dental Corps and we meet so many people over the years. Each dental hygienist is not only part of his or her individual clinic but also of a "national" clinic because of the standardized system we use (the same documents, policies, and procedures regardless of the location). We do attend special military functions such as Parades, Mess Dinners, Military Dental Conferences, and so forth. (See figure 3.)

* Great opportunities for career progression: -- During a normal 25-year career, a military dental hygienist may expect to receive three to six promotions an average, depending on one's performance and potential.

* Administrative responsibilities: -- We enjoy the fact that we can be involved with administrative responsibilities and tasks, for example, hiring dental hygienists and assistants and being in charge of the dental hygiene department in our clinics. We manage people, make policies that can improve the clinic, and have very good opportunities for managerial positions as leaders, supervisors, and middle management. We can tackle extra duties that we would probably not see in a civilian environment, such as temporary duty overseas or in isolated areas; physical training requirements; administration, finance, and secondary duties such as Unit Safety Officer, Unit Environmental Officer; all these within the dental detachment.

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* Travel: -- We can get to know our country better with all these opportunities to travel and also have the chance to move overseas. During a career, a military dental hygienist may expect an average of five to ten postings (moves) in order to fulfill Canadian Forces needs and requirements. We join to serve, not to be served! (See figure 4.)

* Opportunities to contribute: -- Even after 25 years of service, we stay in uniforms because we believe that we still have a lot to offer the CFDS and that we can be a positive influence for our younger dental hygienists.

In conclusion, the theme of the 2006 CDHA Conference, "Endless Opportunities ... Create Yours," is also what keeps us in the CFDS as dental hygienists--the endless opportunities that the Canadian Forces offer!

Sanitas in ore!

by Marina Roberge, Master Warrant Officer, CFDS Senior Dental Hygienist

(1) Ret'd Colonel D.H. Protheroe, Forty years of progress, RCDC and CFDS. Ottawa: National Defence; 1989.