The army goes rolling along ...

The Army injects some camouflage into the American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA) and forms a relationship that will provide educational opportunities to the Army's dental assistants and enhance the personal and professional relationships between dental assistants everywhere. In March 2002 over 2,000 educational and membership packets were mailed out to Army dental assistants worldwide in Korea, across America and throughout Europe. Our dental assistants are proud to be part of the American Dental Assistants Association.

The United States Army Dental Command (DENCOM) provides centralized command and control of Army dental care facilities around the world. It oversees the world's largest comprehensive dental care system, providing care to over 450,000 active duty soldiers and 95,000 family members worldwide. The DENCOM headquarters is located at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas with six Regional Dental Commands in the United States and Europe and an Army Dental Laboratory. Separate from the Dental Command are five Medical Companies (Dental Service) and two Dental Companies (Area Support), located in the U.S., Europe, and Korea, which directly support the Army's "Warfighters". Our mission is to ensure dental readiness, promote dental health, and provide dental care for America's Army.

To support the Army's dental needs, there are 1300+ active duty Army dental assistants and over 1000 civilian and contract dental assistants staffing 172 clinics, providing comprehensive dental care throughout the world. Army dental assistants are trained to perform their duties in state of the art facilities as well as austere field conditions. They are assigned to Dental Activities, Combat Support Hospitals, and Special Forces, Infantry and Airborne units throughout the Army. Army dental assistants are currently supporting operations in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosovo, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Korea, Japan, Europe and Central America.

Regional Dental Commands (RDC) are responsible for cross-leveling personnel and fiscal resources among the subordinate dental facilities in their respective regions. A Colonel commands each, and has a Sergeant Major assigned. The Sergeant Major is responsible for the development and training of all dental assistants assigned to that region.

Regional Sergeants Major

Each regional Sergeant Major started their career as a dental assistant. After 5 years of chair side assisting they moved into the management aspects of Dental Assisting. They assumed their current position as regional Sergeants Major after 20 years of management and clinical experience in the dental field. Below is a list of regional Sergeants Major in your area

SGM Alan Graykowski, Western Regional Dental Command (WRDC). SGM Graykowski has served over 24 years in the Army Dental Command.

SGM Mack Byrd, North Atlantic Regional Dental Command (NARDC). SGM Mack Byrd has served over 24 years in the Army Dental Command

SGM Ronnie Holmes, European Regional Dental Command (ERDC). SGM Holmes has served over 20 years in the Army Dental Command.

SGM Stewart Bigford, Great Plains Regional Dental Command (GPRDC) SGM Bigford has served over 23 years in the Army Dental Command.

1SG Gerry Weigle, Pacific Regional Dental Command (PRDC) 1SG Weigle has served over 23 years in the Army Dental Command. Phone [phone].

MSG Gabriel Warner, South East Regional Dental Command (SERDC) MSG Warner has served over 20 years in the Army Dental Command. Phone [phone].

SGM Timothy Williams, Department of Dental Science, Fort Sam Houston, TX. SGM Williams is responsible for the Army's Dental Assisting (91E) course and has served over 26 years in the Army Dental Command.

The Dental Command and the Army Dental Care System are both proud and excited to be a part of the American Dental Assistants Association and look forward to a continued professional relationship for years to come. Our thanks and appreciation go out to Cynthia Bradley, Larry Sepin, and the entire staff at the central office.

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SGM Stephen E. Spadaro, United States Army Dental Command, is the senior enlisted soldier in the Dental Command. He has served in the U.S. Army for 24 years.