Army Reserve Dental Corps - to join or not to

[96guyodc]

Hey Docs !!!

I'm a general dentist in private practice, considering joining the Army Reserve Dental Corps. I met with a recruiter today and wanted to share my experience. I have been practicing for close to 3 years now.

I have no clue what to expect, the recruiter was nice and seemed honest. If I choose it I'm in for 6 years with 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks a year for 6 years if It's a big step from private practice for me and I dont know If i'm being wise. Seems like a good opportunity for loan reimbursements + sign on bonus.

I have a respectable job (lots of endo, crowns, pedo, OS, digital software, dentrix, intra oral camera, laser) the works with a decent salary, solo office, 5 staff, no over heads (community owned practice) I see almost 15-16 patients a day 5-6 exams extra added.

What can I expect as a reserve dentist ?

Deployments ? ( Conus, combat )

Peer to peer relationships ? other dentists how will I fit in, how is the discipline experience. ( I have 0-ZERO military experience)

What happens at the monthly drills ? what happens at the annual two weeks?

Any thoughts, pointers, good advice will be greatly appreciated. (will trade private practice learning for Military knowledge )

seriously I'm way out of league here -------

Thanks a Ton .

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[krmower]

The Reserve is something many people enjoy. I am an active duty dentist now, but I was in the National Guard before dental school.

The relationships you build while in the Reserve are great. You will do some things that will be very rewarding. In the Reserves the "2 weeks a year" will vary between a couple different options. Intially you will attend the Officer Basic Course. Following 2 week periods will vary between going to active duty bases and working for 2 weeks to humanitarian missions in other countries depending on your unit. Those periods are very rewarding.

The "one weekend a month" will vary between doing regular soldier training (shooting weapons, setting up a dental clinic in the field, etc...), paperwork, or doing exams for reserve soldiers.

Realize that during the 6 years you will deploy at least once. You will deploy for a period not less than 90 days (this may be in Iraq, Afghanistan, or an active duty Army base). You will probably be gone a little longer than 90 days, because there is also 1-3 weeks training/turning items in when you deploy and come home. If you will not be able to be away - don't join.

My biggest recommendation is ask the recruiter to speak to another dentist that is in the unit you are looking to join. They will have the best first-hand experience of what to expect.

Hey Docs !!!

I'm a general dentist in private practice, considering joining the Army Reserve Dental Corps. I met with a recruiter today and wanted to share my experience. I have been practicing for close to 3 years now.

I have no clue what to expect, the recruiter was nice and seemed honest. If I choose it I'm in for 6 years with 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks a year for 6 years if It's a big step from private practice for me and I dont know If i'm being wise. Seems like a good opportunity for loan reimbursements + sign on bonus.

I have a respectable job (lots of endo, crowns, pedo, OS, digital software, dentrix, intra oral camera, laser) the works with a decent salary, solo office, 5 staff, no over heads (community owned practice) I see almost 15-16 patients a day 5-6 exams extra added.

What can I expect as a reserve dentist ?

Deployments ? ( Conus, combat )

Peer to peer relationships ? other dentists how will I fit in, how is the discipline experience. ( I have 0-ZERO military experience)

What happens at the monthly drills ? what happens at the annual two weeks?

Any thoughts, pointers, good advice will be greatly appreciated. (will trade private practice learning for Military knowledge )

seriously I'm way out of league here -------

Thanks a Ton .

 

[teeth63a]

Hey Docs !!!

Seems like a good opportunity for loan reimbursements + sign on bonus.

I have a respectable job (lots of endo, crowns, pedo, OS, digital software, dentrix, intra oral camera, laser) the works with a decent salary, solo office, 5 staff, no over heads (community owned practice) I see almost 15-16 patients a day 5-6 exams extra added.

What can I expect as a reserve dentist ?

Deployments ? ( Conus, combat )

Due to the draw down in Iraq and directives coming from the Sec of Defense, it seems like reserve deployments are fewer. Ask someone in the unit (not the recruiter) what the dwell time is (the time in between deployments). If the unit deploys every other year (highly unlikely) you may want to reconsider. If a deployment is coming up right around the bend, you better have contingency plans for your practice. I think reserve/guard deployments are now 3-6 months.


Peer to peer relationships ? other dentists how will I fit in, how is the discipline experience. ( I have 0-ZERO military experience)

You'll have the opportunity to network with other dentists and specialists in the unit. I my experience, Guard and Reserve units tend to be a little more lax than regular army units. Of course, you'll need to learn military protocol.

What happens at the monthly drills ? what happens at the annual two weeks?

This depends on what kind of unit you're in (TDA vs TOE) and how intense the training NCOs set up the schedule. My Guard unit does mostly dental duty (exams) and fewer field duty (TDA unit). Same as the reserve unit I almost joined. If you join a field unit (ie a medical company that's part of a support battalion) expect to do more field stuff.

Any thoughts, pointers, good advice will be greatly appreciated. (will trade private practice learning for Military knowledge )

My biggest advice to you as a solo practitioner is that if your practice may suffer when you're gone...especially if you don't have an associate or stand in to work while you're deployed. That's the immediate short term downside of deploying. The long term downside may be a tapering off of your recalls (I've heard this happens to deployed reserve dentists).

You have another reserve option open to you without the 6 months deployement is the IMA (Individual Mobilization Augmentee) reserve (three month CONUS deployment once every 3 years or so). In a nondeployment year you do about 3-4 weeks at a CONUS post.

seriously I'm way out of league here -------

Thanks a Ton .

 

[rogerpc]

For the 6 years that i could get deployed, does that include the 4 years in dental school?

 

[gatorfan99]

For the 6 years that i could get deployed, does that include the 4 years in dental school?

No, you won't deploy during dental school - what is the Army going to do with you? You're not a dentist yet