yes and no. b/c they invested so much $$$ on you, you won't doing some of the things the enlisted guys do during the training (e.g. firing automatic machine guns, obstacle courses, jumping, hanging, etc), b/c it may damage your valuable fingers--it is true. when 2 enlisted soldiers died of heat stroke last year in TX, we received repeated (i mean seriously too much) cautions and warnings that a similar thing may not happen to officers, plus constant cold water buffalo trucks and a bag sunblock following us. we even were allowed take off our jackets and roll up sleeves during training, which none of the enlisted guys were allowed to (it was cat 5, 110 F). they indeed care about officers.
but occasionally, though, med/dent officers do get stationed in a forward area. during training we were told the smallest "working dental clinic" unit is 1 comp dentist and 1 assistant, and that unit may be assigned to one of those front line companies. i'd be hard to imagine you were not issued an M9 or M4 in that situation, just b/c you have your high speed and hand instruments as your lethal weapon.
