Dental operates on smiles throughout Sheppard

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jelani Gibson
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Within the confines of a of white room abound with drawers of shiny medical instruments, Capt. Brandon Keyser, 82nd Dental Squadron general dentist, is clad in a surgical mask and medical scrubs working on a patient. Grabbing the metallic instruments of his profession, he slowly makes his way through each tooth, taking in every detail.

While others would find the atmosphere unpleasant at best, it is here, in the operating atmosphere of tubes, x-ray radiation and dental drills that he feels most comfortable.

"My favorite times of the day are when I'm in the chair working on patients," he said. "I'd rather be over there working on patients all day. It's an enjoyable environment to work in."

The critical thinking skills required for the dental profession is what appeals to Keyser and keeps him focused on the profession and the impact it has on and off base.

"If a student or instructor is in pain or discomfort at any time, it affects their mood, it affects their stress level, it affects their ability to carry out the mission on a regular day and the dental squadron has a direct effect on that," he said.

Through talents of dentistry and attention to detail, the squadron's purpose is to make sure each service member on base receives comprehensive dental care.

Col. Haris Ehland, 82nd DS periodontist, views the dental mission as a matter of readiness for those they serve. As a periodentist, he specializes in teeth bone structure and the diseases that can affect them.

"Our primary mission is to make sure our personnel are ready to do their jobs without having any issues or concerns regarding their dental health," he said.

With the health of their patients on the line, Ehland knows quality of work is paramount to every client who walks through the door.

"You want to make it at the highest level in terms of quality and we want to try and do it efficiently," he said. "It saves money, it saves time for the patients and everyone feels satisfied when it's all done."

With Ehland slated to take command of the squadron in late July, his vision entails an environment where creative solutions are pursued in an environment of austerity.

"The environment we're working in is the same as everybody in the Air Force, the Air Force is changing," he said. "We're getting smaller, we're getting leaner...we have to look at things in new ways and try to be innovative."

The influence of the dental health mission also expands well beyond the base, as they foster community relations with the local community of Wichita Falls through a training program at Midwestern State University.

For a scheduled three months each year, senior dental students at the college get valuable hands-on experience in the dental field, and in return, the squadron gets an increase in the amount of patient care they can provide.

Barbara DeBois, MSU dental hygiene chairman, wanted her students to practice in a different environment and expand their knowledge base.

"The students really enjoy it, and it's something we hope to continue," she commented.

Ubiquitous throughout the white hallway, personnel in medical scrubs will continue to use the feared metallic instruments of their trade, be remembered for the sounds of dental drills leaving each patient's teeth in better shape.