The Explorer Winter 2018 2019WExplorer | Page 18

LIFE IN THE AIR FORCE DENTAL CORPS
‘YOU ARE PART OF SOMETHING MUCH LARGER THAN DENTISTRY’
By Jennifer Garvin
Copyright © American Dental Association. All rights reserved.
Brig. Gen. Sharon Bannister
As the Air Force Dental Corps chief, Brig.
Gen. Sharon Bannister is responsible for an
annual operating budget of $61.5 million
and directing the Department of Defense’s
medical training initiatives and academic
policy, leading more than 500 staff across
two regions.
She is also directly responsible for the
three medical institutes that graduate over
28,000 enlisted medical personnel
annually and providing leadership
opportunities for some 10,000 military
health care organizations leaders.
Additionally, as the assistant surgeon
general for dental services, she provides
policy and operational advice to the Air
Force surgeon general on matters
involving the dental practice of 1,000
dentists and 2,500 technicians.
Brig. Gen. Bannister: In 5th grade, I was
diagnosed with an eosinophilic granuloma
in my right pelvic bone that was fairly
advanced. That put me in the medical
world for an extended period of time,
which piqued my interest in the health
care career field. I honestly didn’t chose
dentistry until college, but quickly realized
I wanted to get involved with a profession
that afforded doctor/patient relationships
that focused on prevention and oral and
systemic health.
ADA News: You’re from a military
family and in fact, lost your dad in
Vietnam. How did that influence you
and where you are now?
Brig. Gen. Bannister: I would say my
decision to join the Air Force had very
little to do with my dad’s service, but the
decision to make it a career was clear
almost immediately after joining when I
began to understand who my dad was and
what service really meant through the
patients I served and the military family I
instantly became a part of. I feel honored
to serve those who raise their right hand
and promise to support and defend the
Constitution of the United States to
ensure the freedoms that are dear to our
nation. I can’t imagine being anywhere
else.
Brig. Gen. Bannister received her
undergraduate degree from Miami
University Ohio and earned her dental
degree from Case Western Reserve
School of Dentistry. In August, she talked
with ADA News in an email interview. ADA News: Many people describe
military dentistry as “rewarding.”
What would you say to a prospective
dentist considering serving after dental
school?
ADA News: What drew you to health
care and dentistry? Brig. Gen. Bannister: Military dentistry
affords the opportunity to practice with
other professionals of all dental and
medical specialties to ensure the optimal
health of a very special population. It also
is a great way to compete for dental school
scholarships and potentially secure
specialty training to support a low/no cost
education. Most importantly, as an Air
Force officer, you are part of something
much larger than dentistry — you are
integral to the success of the mission
ensuring the freedoms and safety of the
United States of America.
I’ve been able to deploy to areas where I’ve
been able to impact the health of another
nation making our world as a whole a
healthier place. … I’ve brought home fallen
heroes to Dover, Delaware, as the officer
leading the dignified transfers. I’ve met the
aeromedical evacuation missions at Joint
Base Andrews welcoming home our
wounded. It is something bigger that has
become an integral part of who I am. Put
simply, it’s not a job; it’s truly a way of life.
You don’t work FOR the Air Force, you are
IN the Air Force. That may sound subtle,
but it’s a really special part of serving.
ADA News: What are your feelings on
being the first woman to have this post
in the Air Force?
Brig. Gen. Bannister: For me, my
current job is very rewarding, since it
basically encompasses the responsibility of
the education and training for the entire
Military Health System. We graduate over
28,000 enlisted medical technicians a year,
some of those dental, and work to ensure
the entire force has the trauma training
and leadership training necessary to serve.
In addition, I have the honor to lead the
Air Force Dental Service with 1,000
Los Angeles Dental Society Explorer