A Longitudinal Study of Dental Experience during the First Four Years of Military Experience

This longitudinal study examined changes in oral health and emergency rates of Army, Air Force, and Navy recruits during the 4 years immediately following entry on active duty. In 1998, 1,331 dental records of recruit participants in the 1994 Tri-Service Comprehensive Oral Health Survey were located, and dental readiness classification and emergency data were analyzed. All services were successful in achieving and maintaining operational readiness among 1994 recruits who spent >93% of their first 4 years of military service in a deployable oral health status (Dental Readiness Classification 1 or 2). However, among recruits with initial Dental Readiness Classification 3, only 57.4% achieved class 1 (oral health) at any point during the 4-year study period. An annual dental emergency rate of 749 per 1000 was found among class 3 personnel, 192 per 1000 among class 2, and 85 per 1000 among class 1.