JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas  –   The Air Force Oral Hygiene Course at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland is a unique training program designed to develop future oral preventive assistants. This is the only program within the Air Force that provides standardized training in preventive dentistry, and it plays a crucial role in maintaining dental readiness across the service.

“Readiness has always been a top priority for, I would say, medical and dental as a whole,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Adolfo Figueroa, director of the Air Force Oral Hygiene Course. “They [students] are the ones making sure that active-duty members are getting their annual exams completed, annual cleanings done, and keeping them ready to deploy at any moment.”

The 14-day course is open primarily to senior airmen through technical sergeants who have completed 5-level dental assistant journeyman training and have at least 12 months of retainability. Exceptional airmen first class may attend with a waiver. The curriculum includes eight days of classroom instruction on topics such as oral hygiene techniques, oral cancer screenings, and advanced instrumentation. This is followed by six days of hands-on patient care, where students complete 170 cleanings and conduct 60 annual dental exams.

“What I’ve learned is going to elevate my knowledge of the whole career field tenfold,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Quinlan Taylor Kasey, noncommissioned officer in charge of reception at the 8th Medical Group dental office at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea. “It’s an amazing course, amazing instructors, and honestly gives me better insight into other people within my career field.”

The patient population consists of active-duty military members from four wings at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, totaling approximately 2,720 dental cleanings and 960 exams per fiscal year. This rigorous training helps maintain a dental readiness rate of 97%, exceeding the Air Force goal of 95%.

“This is the last class of the fiscal year, so it always is an exciting one,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Caitlin Crawley, an instructor at the Air Force Oral Hygiene Course. “This class, in particular, is a group of mixed personalities that all seem to mesh really well, and they are excited to start patient care.”

The program runs 16 classes annually, each with 10 students, graduating 160 students who earn two Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) credits. Graduates return to their duty stations to complete Phase II of their training under the supervision of a dentist or dental hygienist, ensuring they are fully prepared to support the Air Force Dental Readiness and Assurance Program.

“Being able to make an impact, even just for a short time, is something that is immeasurable,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt Angela Saul, an instructor at the Air Force Oral Hygiene Course. “We consider students as our pseudo troops and we get the privilege to teach, mentor, and learn from.”