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U.S. Army dental emergency rates in Bosnia
J Chaffin1, J E King, L D Fretwell
1U.S. Army Dental Command, 2050 Worth Road, Suite 4, Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234, USA.
Objective:
Our objective is to report on overall dental emergency rates and rates by dental classification of a U.S. Army peacekeeping operation longer than 6 months in the year 2000.
Materials And Methods:
This study was a retrospective cohort analysis of dental emergencies experienced by soldiers of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment as a part of Stabilization Force VII. Before the deployment, all soldiers received dental examinations and the necessary dental treatment to make them class 1 or 2. A dental emergency was identified from field treatment records when a soldier presented to the clinic for a "sick call," emergency, or trauma visit.
Results:
Retrospective review of the records identified 211 dental emergencies. Class 1 soldiers experienced 75 dental emergencies and class 2 soldiers experienced 136 emergencies. 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment soldiers spent an average of 201.95 days deployed. The overall emergency rate was 156 dental emergencies per 1,000 soldiers per year. Class 1 and 2 rates were 121 and 185 dental emergencies per 1,000 troops per year, respectively.
Conclusions:
The results tend to confirm that dental emergencies continue to be a threat to overall readiness in deployed environments. Military planners need to ensure that the dental component of future forces are sufficient to care for the expected emergencies.
