A total of four dental battalions (three active duty battalions and one reserve battalion) support the FMF. Each DENBN is composed of 74 dental officers, 2 medical service corps officers, 153 Dental Technicians, and 9 enlisted Marines (Marines call this a Table of Organization or T/O). The four dental battalion names and locations are as follows:
1st Dental Battalion-Camp Pendelton, CA
2nd Dental Battalion-Camp Lejeune, NC
3rd Dental Battalion-Okinawa, JA
4th Dental Battalion (reserve battalion) - Marietta, GA
The DENBN is designed to attain maximum use of personnel, while providing the most effective dental healthcare to FMF operations. The organization of each DENBN allows for task organized detachments of individual dental companies or composite detachments made up of elements of more than one dental company, including the Headquarter & Service company (H&S) elements, to support various Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (MAGTFs). Figure 12-6 illustrates the organization of an FMF DENBN.
To reduce infrastructure and enhance access to patient care, the consolidation of the co-located DENBN and Naval Dental Center (NDC) under one commanding officer, one executive officer, and one command master chief was accomplished at the three dental battalions at Okinawa, Camp Pendelton, and Camp Lejeune in July 1994. Each commanding officer is also responsible for each branch dental clinic under his or her region. A nickname for this title is "Blue/Green," meaning the commanding officer is responsible for both the shore-based ("Blue") Dental Treatment Facilities (DTFs) and the FMF Battalion (“Green”). Figure 12-7 illustrates the organization of a Consolidated Dental Battalion/Naval Dental Center.
The H&S Company is responsible to the commanding officer of the DENBN for coordination of administrative and logistical support for all elements of the DENBN.
Each DENBN consists of three dental companies (DENCO), which provide clinical support, and a headquarters and service company (H&S CO), which provides administrative and logistical support.
The DENCOs are designed to provide dental support to a major subordinate element of the MEF. One company is in support of the MARDIV, one in support of the MAW, and the other in support of the FSSG. Table 12-2 illustrates each of the four DENBNs and the DENCOs assigned to them.
Figure 12-6. - FMF Dental Battalion (DENBN).
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