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My, what sharp teeth you have: Air Force dentist adapts for canine patient

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Stacy Fowler
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  The beep, beep, beep of the heart monitor served as a fast-paced metronome to the high-pitched whine of the dentist's tool as he carefully cleaned plaque from an anesthetized patient's tooth.

The rise and fall of the patient's chest moved at a slower pace, as another doctor gently gripped the patient's hind leg, keeping track of blood pressure through the fur and skin.

Wait...what? Fur? Yes, this is no ordinary human patient - it was Donna, a contact working dog from one of the local U.S. Army camps in an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. She came into the clinic for her biannual teeth cleaning and checkup Feb. 2.

U.S. Army Capt. Eric Storey, a 3rd Medical Service Corps Detachment veterinarian stationed at the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, is able to handle routine and emergency medical procedures for working dogs, but routine and surgical dental work is more difficult because they don't have the full complement of tools normally available in a stateside location.

Storey, who is deployed from the 994th Medical Detachment Veterinary Services, Round Rock, Texas, coordinated with the 386th Expeditionary Medical Group for the dental care of this canine. For Capt. Peter Frandsen, 386th EMDG dentist, this was the first time he's done this procedure on a dog.

"We've done the training so we know the overall picture, but this was the first time I've actually done this with a real dog," said Frandsen, deployed from the 75th Dental Squadron at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. "It's been challenging because the tooth anatomy is totally different between a human and a canine's premolar and molars. We're using tools made for human mouths and human teeth, but it just took a little bit of flexibility and we were working smoothly."

Plaque removal for dogs is very important, because plaque can build up into thick plates that grow under the gum line, Storey said. If left untreated, it can go into the root and surrounding tissues, causing infections that could be fatal if not treated.

"It's not like a human, where we don't notice plaque until we get cavities or major pain," Storey said. "For a dog, plaque buildup is constantly painful, especially when biting. But when the dog has to bite, it will still bite; then they might cause major damage to its mouth, or even lose a tooth. For younger dogs, they usually only need cleaning once a year or so because they chew on everything they can. Older dogs need to be seen more often, usually every six months, because they aren't able to knock off the plaque like the younger dogs."

Also, a dog's teeth are not as hard as a human's teeth, and usually have odd shapes which can effect root and nerve locations for each tooth. And when dealing with a dog's dental work, you can't just tell them to open wide and say "ahhh," Frandsen said. Many times they must be anesthetized and monitored.

"This procedure on a human usually doesn't need to use heavier drugs, just Novocain or gas," said Storey. "But when you are working with any kind of animal you will need to put them under for their safety and yours. Especially when dealing with the working dogs, which are very unique and crucial to the mission here, you want to ensure they get the best care."

Being gentle and thorough are important for each and every patient - human and canine -who receive expert care at the 386th EMDG dental clinic, Frandsen said.

For Donna, she left her appointment with a clean mouth, and a quick scratch behind the ears from Frandsen and Storey, before heading back to her base and back to the mission.