Army Receiving Medical and Dental

[Atlas Shrugged]

I will be attending USUHS in the fall and have a deviated septum that I've been thinking about getting fixed. It isn't incredibly bad, but I think it would help my sleep and breathing in general. How difficult/how long would it take to possibly get a septoplasty while active duty army? Do I need any waivers or does it disqualify me for anything?

Also, I haven't seen a dentist in a while and have noticed the "bonding" used to fix some chipped teeth has eroded away over the years. How difficult would it be to get this repaired?


I want to know if I should take care of these before BOLC and medical school, or wait until I'm already in (I'm not yet currently in the military).


Sorry if these seem like silly questions, I just have don't have any experience as a patient in the army healthcare system.

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[colbgw02]

Assuming that none of these conditions are severe enough to affect your commissioning...

Once on active duty, I would think that fixing your deviated septum is largely a function of convincing a surgeon to operate. If it's significant enough to alter your sleeping and breathing, then that shouldn't be too hard. Beyond that, you just need to worry about time away from class/school.

While on active duty, at the very least, you are required to undergo annual dental screening. You can bring up your issue at that time, or you can seek out care before that.

Whether or not you should take care of these before active duty probably depends on your current situation/insurance. One might argue that undergoing non-urgent surgery prior to commissioning may not be a good idea because you're potentially risking your acceptance if there were to be an unexpected outcome. With exceptions, the threshold to kick someone out of the military is typically much higher than denying admission.

 

[HighPriest]

Your deviated septum won't disqualify you from anything. However, if you actually have sleep apnea, that's potentially a deal breaker. Fixing your septum is no sweat. It doesn't even take much convincing. You just stop by your local ENT and tell him you can't breathe through your nose. It happens multiple times every week.

 

[idq1i]

half the in-service fat bastards are claiming sleep apnea to run up their VA rating. Hasn't gotten anyone kicked out

 

[HighPriest]

Guys do get boarded for OSA. I see it all the time. Typically there are other circumstances involved, but I'll get them occasionally wherein they have recommended change in MOS or even separation based solely upon their sleep apnea. But you're right, they're all sgt. porkins, and typically their unit is looking for a way to get rid of them.

 

[idq1i]

Guys do get boarded for OSA. I see it all the time. Typically there are other circumstances involved, but I'll get them occasionally wherein they have recommended change in MOS or even separation based solely upon their sleep apnea. But you're right, they're all sgt. porkins, and typically their unit is looking for a way to get rid of them.

I meant MC fat bastards

 

[Homunculus]

just wait til you are active duty and get tuned up. you'll be near the hospital so it shouldn't be hard to coordinate.

as to the OSA VA thing-- it's well known in the ETSing crowd the easiest ways to max their disability ratings. I think for awhile they were even giving presentations on how to maximize defrauding the government. it would be interesting to see how much of the VA backlog is from people overreaching and flat out lying to try to get a buck from uncle sam-- keeping the real folks from getting the services they need.

--your friendly neighborhood how much does a shoulder and back get me caveman

 

[Atlas Shrugged]

That's great to hear. I guess it doesn't affect my sleeping so much, per se. It's more my teeth I'm worried about; I'll wake up with my mouth and tongue completely dry, which isn't great because there's no saliva to combat bacteria. I'm in great shape and don't have sleep apnea.