I'm a student looking at the HPSP scholarship. I guess I'd be asking mostly about active duty but the reserves as well (I heard you never really get called back from the reserves?). Would you suggest that someone take the loan repayment contract instead? It's up to 250k but after interest my dental school loans will probably be around 350k.
About having experience... Is it easy to get a base location where you know you'll have more opportunities in dentistry? That seems more important to me than where I'll be living in the US.
one can make generalizations about postings.
large posts with basic training students: most likely doing only exams and large amalgams 8 hours/day 5 days/week
large posts with regular troops: most likely doing only exams and large amalgams 8 hours/day 5 days/week.
any posts with dental residency programs: most likely doing only exams and large amalgams 8 hours/day 5 days/week. good cases taken by residents
small posts with few soldiers or high ranking officers: probably get to do good stuff like crown and bridge, few exams, probably few amalgams, but these posts are usually filled by higher ranking dentists who have paid their dues
what you allowed is highly dependent on your immediate boss (officer in charge). if s/he likes amalgam only then that's what you'll do. dentists right out of school are on a short leash. good luck getting to do crowns your first year.
this has been my experience.
my first two years i did lots of exams, amalgams, extractions, pulpectomies. no crowns and no posterior resins because my boss didn't like them.
third year: lots of exam, but did crowns, bridges, and posterior composites (this boss gave us free reign)
fourth year: small vip post. few exams, did whatever i wanted (general dentists can't do implant restorations) c&b, RCT. very good year, very little scut work.