Twitter
Facebook
Ayden Veale, son of Chief Master Sgt. Gay L.C. Veale, 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing
command chief, gets fitted for his mouth guard during the annual weekend sports guard clinic July 20 on Ramstein.
The Ramstein Dental Clinic hosted the annual sports guard clinic July 20 on Ramstein.
“We come in on a Saturday to see dependents and make sports guards,” said Airman 1st Class Kelly Almeida, 86th Dental Squadron dental technician. “With school starting and sports in the summertime, it’s critical that you have a sports guard to protect your mouth.”
Approximately 57 patients aged 6 and older were fitted for personalized sports guards, which serve to absorb the shock of contact by acting as a cushion against trauma from the outside, said Col. John Kersey, 86th Dental Squadron pediatric dentist.
Dependents are seen on space available basis at the dental clinic, Almeida said. The yearly sports guard clinic allows volunteer dentists and technicians to serve dependents outside of normal duty hours at no cost to the patients.
“Overall, I think it went really well,” said Capt. Erin McNamara, 86th Dental Squadron general dentist. “This is the first time we did appointments, and I think it made it run much smoother. Less time in the waiting room shortens the time you have to be in the clinic. We get more positive comments from parents and families saying that it was just much easier for them when they come in.”
Almeida said there are also other opportunities for off-duty care throughout the year, such as the biannual Little Teeth, Big Smiles clinic, which is an opportunity for children ages 3 to 7 to get exams and cleanings, and the Retiree Appreciation Clinic, which offers the same services to retirees during Retiree Appreciation Week.
For more information, contact the Ramstein Dental Clinic at 479-2210 or 0637146-2210.
