Page 93 · Ship's Company

= 1 Peta der Robert F. Frisby The Dental Department provided expert dental care to the ship’ bardked airwing, and s' ions during the cruise, the department treated patients from other battle group members both aboard Connie and on their respective ships by way of a portable dental unit - NO NOTICE, NO PROBLEM. Den- tal’s purpose was to insure the highest pos- sible state of dental health to the crew, so that they could work at peak efficiency in support of the command power projection mission. The department, comprised of five officers and 15 enlisted, provided a full range of services to include oral and mazillofacial sur- gery, prosthodontics, endodontics, peri- odontics, restorative and preventive dentist- ry. This last feature, which encompasses an aggressive recall program and an active pro- I program, was the bedrock of the department’s efforts to keep patients healthy. Equipped with the latest in dental equipment, both clinically and in the modern prosthetic laboratory, the department was able to handle all maladies without further referral. Totally integrated into the fiber of the ship, the men of the Dental Department were in- yolved in volunteering for COMREL proj ects, managing MWR funds, running the Navy-Marine Corps Society Fund Dri’ editing the Crusiebook, coaching the ship soccer team, training crew members in CPR, manning Battle Dressing Stations and Mass Casualty Drills with the Medical Depart- ment. Though small, Dental was a big player in the cruise of 1994 - °95.