Page 4 - RADC 2023

FOREWORD
Foreword
Col Tim Davies QHDS, Chief Dental Officer (Army)
2023 has been a year like no other. As we finally felt like we were recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic era, new and significant challenges emerged. The war in Ukraine continued, the Israel- Hamas conflict has entered a new level, a cost-of-living crisis has continued, a workforce labour shortage and Defence transformation plans have all had direct and indirect impacts on our people. The DMS continues to be heavily committed over the planet and RADC personnel, as ever, have been part of this.
In 2023, the RADC have provided operational dental capability across the world and I thank all those who have answered the call, providing the highest quality deployable dental capability to our patients. Those working within DPHC have acutely felt the effects of regional workforce labour shortages, running often on 20%
and sometimes 30% gaps in their mixed military and civilian workforce. As a PDO myself, I thank all the RADC working in dental centres, who are frequently called on to fill gaps, working longer, travelling further, in order to keep the business of firm-base force generation going. But as CDO(A)
this situation has proved the necessity of Regular military provision of dentistry for the Armed Forces of this country as without it my view (as is that of other senior subject matter experts) is that firm-base dental provision would fall apart. I also thank those who are working in roles outside of clinical dentistry in E1/E2 roles or Staff jobs. It is
this component of the RADC, who are our “external” to dentistry ambassadors to the rest of Defence, ensuring we (dental) are rightly kept on the agenda although, as pointed out by our 2024 Representative Colonel Commandant, Major General Ewan Carmichael at this year’s Corps Event, all interactions between RADC personnel and our patients make every single one of us ambassadors of the RADC. It is us who are best placed to articulate our importance in optimising the fighting force and despite the considerable challenges thrown at us, we continue to deliver excellence in all areas.
As a Corps, this year we have written ourselves into history, providing a Marching Contingent (MC) for the Kings Coronation on the 6 May. I am immeasurably proud
of those who took part and delivered a level of excellence commented on widely from across Defence. If we consider both Regular and Reserve RADC cohorts, the MC consisted of around 15% of our total force, which given all the other workforce shortages expresses the massive support
that the MC received from those still providing dentistry in their necessary absence from clinical delivery. The Corps Event this year was another highlight, with standout participation and outstanding feedback. I thank all those who have undertaken secondary roles in order to continue the traditions of the Corps and reinforce our Esprit de Corps. Thank you to the Rep SM and the team of volunteers who have supported her, the Heads of Specialism and of course a special thanks to our Regt Sec, Maj (Rtd) John Sharp who retired “properly” this year after a lifetime (50 years) of service to the RADC.
After a challenging year, I am looking positively toward 2024. The Oral Health Needs Assessment and Gender Study alongside a significant piece of work on
Op Mobilise have articulated the RADC workforce numbers needed to deliver key outputs, and I am optimistic there will be positive outcomes for our workforce next year. For the first time in years, we have the maximum amount of RADC DNs coming through the training pipeline and the next few cohorts of RADC DNs will considerably bolster our numbers with benefits being felt across Defence Dentistry. Also 2024 will see the implementation of RADC Reserve DPHC Clinical Attachments, appearing in the AMS Handbook in Jan 24. It allows for our Reserve
DN and DO personnel to work within DPHC locations and therefore permit them to work with and therefore learn and appreciate
our clinical and dental centre Standard Operating Procedures which are not in
the main dissimilar to our deployed ones. This will lead to easier and more efficient utilisation of the Reserves at times of national crisis, in the deployed or Firm Base spaces, and although we must remember that there are reasons why personnel choose to join these two different forces, we must understand this plan for greater cooperation between the Regular and Reserve RADC forces fits in with what Field Army requires. 2024 will also see the instigation of a regular RADC presence in British Army Training Unit Kenya when a RADC Dental Team will lead a new DPHC dental delivery capability at that location.
Finally, I would like to thank every one of you within the RADC for what you do. Your service is greatly valued across the Army and Defence and I am prouder than ever
to be your CDO(A). I am sure, as per other years, 2024 will bring forth a number of shocks for UK Ltd but what will not surprise me is the positive way you will all react to such issues and the amount of energy you will put behind any necessary action.
Ex Dentibus Ensis
2 RADC BULLETIN 2023