Page 16 - RADC 2015

MILITARY MATTERS
Jungle training
they were around. Talking about morale I have never known anybody get as many care packages as Pte Bryan did!!!! Not a post day went by that her pile did not beat the combined pile of parcels for the rest
of role one (potentially even the rest of the base!).
Daily Dentistry
Although initially sent out as an emergency asset we opened up the clinic to routine work too, which was appreciated by both civilians and military alike but also gave us something to do. We saw 112 new patients whilst away, many more than I expected when we initially set up. This worked out
at between 1 and 4 patients a day, but on the whole all very basic dentistry - check- ups, scales, llings. There were a number of emergency cases the majority of these being wisdom teeth problems but a couple of fractured teeth and a few proper toothaches requiring access. We did for one emergency patient however manage to start and, at their request, complete root canal treatment. That was one long appointment!! And trying to position the x-ray equipment/patient to
take a working length radiograph was comical. Not
something
Taking it easy
14 RADC BULLETIN 2015
Pte Bryan gets vocal
Sport
Seeing as some days we only saw one patient there was clearly time to spare and even after letters home and vast amounts of CPD we still had time to kill so sport it was! The facilities in ISAT were pretty reasonable. There was a fairly well stocked gym and as I’m sure you probably all know there was a pool. It was strictly for swimming but there is no denying it was there and well used, most memorably for the RAMC Corps
day swimming gala. We had Pte Bryan as head cheerleader for the Role 1 team with her banner and pompoms and believe me did she cheer! I remember swimming my rst race and all I could hear was her voice ‘come on ma’am!!’
But actually what we were really lucky with on the sport front on tour was nurses and ODPs in Role 2, Sgt Seal (an ex army boxer) started running boxing practice twice a week for all who fancied it, it was one hell of a beasting but a thoroughly enjoyable one (well at least it was once you had nished). Cpl Lewis also took the dental team for kick boxing lessons twice a week, something
I would de nitely recommend people try! These activities the dental team undertook did not go unnoticed and the message
soon got round that we were
clearly not to be messed
I thought I would be doing whilst away but successful nonetheless. Unfortunately there was no call for extractions so the surgical kit remained in its box for the duration of the tour.