TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - John Palaganas, 60th
Dental Squadron, was one of 10 dental technicians to pack up the dental clinic
30 years ago and move it to its current location at 101 Bodin Circle, Travis
Air Force Base.
In October
1988, the David Grant USAF Medical Center moved from building 381 to a
state-of- the-art facility located in northwest portion of the base. Although most of the public’s attention
centered on the medical center, the new dental clinic also was a far cry from
the previous facility.
“We used
to be in three or four trailers across from the (shoppette) gas station,” said
Palaganas. “That area is all trees now. We
had 10 people crammed in that space so we worked pretty much shoulder-to
shoulder. Our NCO in charge didn’t even
have an office, just a desk in the corner.”
Once the structure was completed, the dental staff
worked 12-hour shifts for a week moving furniture and medical equipment in from
the logistics warehouse into the clinic.
“Travis
was my first duty station and now, 37 years (later), I’m still here,” said
Palaganas. “This is the best place to work and it’s been that way since I came
here.
Palaganas,
both a dental laboratory technician and maxillofacial technician, makes crowns,
bridges and dentures and teeth for dental implants. He also makes prosthetics for cancer patients
and those with facial injuries.
Although
the job has been essentially the same since 1987, equipment upgrades have cut
the work time by half.
“We can
make teeth much faster with computers and scanners,” said Palaganas. ”X-rays
are digital so you see results instantly.
Bite wings are comfortable and you don’t need to make a plaster cast of
the teeth.”
The job is
also safer.
“We no
longer use open flames to mold crowns because that’s also done digitally,” he
said.
When
architects designed the dental clinic, they considered upgrades and
modernization in the blueprints.
“As far as
dental technology, materials and techniques, the dental squadron has kept pace
with civilian teaching institutions in every way,” said Col. (Dr.) Curtis
Marsh, 60th DS commander.
“However, when it comes to our ability to
offer our patients premier treatment without them having to compromise due to
cost, we far surpass the civilian sector.”
The dental
squadron not only operates a dental clinic, but also two graduate medical
programs that prepare future providers.
“We
continue to fill our teaching positions with the best specialists the Air Force
has to offer from both civilian and military programs,” said Marsh.
He
said these educators then pass their knowledge, experience and expertise to top-notch
graduates in both the Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency and the
four-year Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Program.
“These
graduates then go out to bases around the world to support our active duty
population and maintain their dental readiness to fly, fight and win.” he
said
The dental
clinic was named in 1991 in honor of retired Maj. Gen. Arthur J. Sachsel, the
Air Force assistant surgeon general for dental services.
Sachsel retired from active duty
in March 1987 and resided with his family in Riverside, California until his
death on Sept. 19, 2013.
After
receiving a doctorate in dental surgery from the University of Pennsylvania
Dental School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1950, Sachsel joined the Air
Force. He retired briefly to open his
own practice in New Jersey, but returned to the Air Force in July 1956, serving
as chief of restorative dentistry at the Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C.,
In
August 1960, Sachsel entered an Air Force-sponsored residency in periodontics
at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio and two years later, was assigned to
Travis, where he served successively as staff periodontist, chief of
periodontics and assistant base dental surgeon.
Today, the
dental squadron houses all major dental specialties under one roof and provides
for approximately 170 patients per day, including active duty members from all service
branches.
“Our
patients are able to obtain all necessary dental care with absolutely no
civilian referrals,” said Marsh.