material, manpower, civilian personnel matters, enlisted training, and the implementation of policy and standards pertaining to management functions.
The director of a branch dental clinic is a dental officer who is the senior leader at each branch dental clinic. Each branch should have one director who is responsible for providing comprehensive, high quality outpatient oral health care to eligible beneficiaries. They are assigned by and are responsible to the commanding officer for the coordination of clinical and administrative services, via the executive officer. All orders issued by the director of a branch dental clinic will be regarded as proceeding from the commanding officer.
The DT rating was first established by the Secretary of the Navy on 12 December 1947. On 2 April 1948 the rating became effective, authorizing Dental Technicians to wear the dental rating badge. Dental Technicians and Hospital Corpsmen now make up Occupational Field XIV (14), Health Care. Figure 1-2 illustrates the dental rating badge. DTs have earned an enviable reputation over the years. Past and present members of the DT rating have been, and continue to be, a responsive and dedicated force of professional men and women, integrally and loyally committed to operational readiness and the health and well-being of Navy and Marine Corps personnel, ashore and afloat, around the world. Your professional, technical, and contingency skills are and will continue to be an essential element in accomplishing the mission of the Navy Medical Department. The dental health care mission of the DT rating and the supportive services you
provide can never be taken lightly, and are vital to the personnel you serve.
Basic Dental Assistants are assigned to assist dental officers in naval dental centers, naval hospitals, dental departments of ships and stations, naval mobile construction battalions (NMCBs), and Fleet Marine Force (FMF), and dental battalions and companies. Assignments to duty stations are made by the DT detailers and are made on the basis of billet structure, personnel qualifications, and the desires of each member. As a basic dental assistant, you will be qualified to perform numerous general duties.
Figure 1-2. - Dental rating badge.
Basic Dental Assistant's duties can vary depend- ing on where you are assigned. You must always remember to remain flexible, meaning one day you could be a chairside assistant, assisting a dentist with patient care. Or you could be assigned to the front desk, preparing patients and dental records for dental treatment that day. Here are some of the duties of the DT rating that vou must be qualified to perform:
Assisting a dental officer in treating patients.
Maintaining the central appointment desk, daily dental appointments, and dental office records.
Preparing dental treatment records, including dental charts under the direction of dental officers.
Performing oral prophylactic treatments (dental tooth polishing) and removing supragingival calculus (dental tarter above the gum line) under the supervision of a dental officer.
Performing preventive dentistry treatments and instructing patients in oral hygiene under the supervision of a dental officer.Continue Reading