Dental Emergency Rates at an Expeditionary Medical Facility Supporting Operation Inherent Resolve

A core objective of U.S. medical services is to ensure the medical and dental readiness of military personnel. Oral diseases, resulting in pain, infection, or functional impairment, greatly affect the operational effectiveness of military personnel. This study aimed to compare the current causes of dental emergencies and the rates of dental disease nonbattle injuries in a deployed setting with those documented in previous research. Additionally, the study sought to determine if these rates have decreased because of preventive measures or potential improvements in overall oral health.

Each soldier reporting to the health facility for dental care was screened by a dentist to determine the presence of a dental emergency. The reason for seeking care was classified into 1 of 7 categories and the rate of dental emergencies per 1,000 military members per calendar year was calculated.

The majority of emergencies (38.60%) were due to tooth fractures and/or caries. The second most common reason for visiting the dental clinic was pain from a tooth requiring endodontic therapy (16.81%). This was followed by musculoskeletal or nonendodontic tooth pain (16.10%), most often associated with stress. Periodontal issues accounted for 14.33% of emergencies. Teeth requiring extraction made up 7.16% of all emergencies, prosthodontic bonding complications accounted for 5.16%, and orthodontic bonding complications affected 1.84% of individuals. The dental disease nonbattle injuries rates determined from the current study were 154 emergencies per 1,000 personnel per year for Air Force members and 264 emergencies per 1,000 personnel per year for Army members, which align with previous research findings.

The results of this study confirm that dental emergencies continue to be a threat to overall readiness in deployed environments. The primary etiologic factor in the current study was as a result of tooth fracture and/or caries.