USAF dental readiness classifications and caries-risk assessment.

Assurance of the overall health of all uniformed Department of Defense (DoD) personnel is the responsbility of the Military Health System. To ensure the accomplishment of that mission, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) requires that all uniformed personnel be classified according to their wartime dental readiness status. The recording, collection, monitoring, and reporting of this metric enables the effective and efficient management of care of DoD military members. Especially in times of war, there are often occasions for care to be rendered to members of other military Services by USAF dental treatment providers. Therefore, it is vital that dental health classifications among the Services be standardized to minimize confusion and to ensure that appropriate, optimal dental treatment is rendered to all DoD military members. This article discusses how the USAF assesses dental readiness classification and caries risk of military members.