Grissom gains three new dentists Published Jan. 25, 2011 By Capt. Kelly Howard 434th ARW Public Affairs GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- It's been said that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but Grissom's three newest dentists may disagree. Lt. Col. (Dr.) Todd Martin, Capt. (Dr.) Kathryn Dahlen and Capt. (Dr.) Madalyn Davidson joined the 434th Aerospace Medicine Squadron here recently and were quickly put to work. So new are the dentists to Grissom, they're just starting to get used to their new environments at the clinic. "How do I make the chair come up?" Captain Davidson asked her dental assistant while being photographed during the December unit training assembly. "This is my first UTA, and the equipment is different than what I'm used to." But don't let their newness fool you as these doctors are far from inexperienced. With only part of Saturday to Saturday to see members due to holiday events, the three dentists still managed to complete approximately 60 examinations. The paths that led the three dentists to Grissom are different, but their reason for being here are largely the same, which is the opportunity to serve and help people. "Col. (Christopher) Nixon was a big part of my decision to return to the military," said Colonel Martin, dental services officer-in-charge, who served four years in the Navy in the early 1990s. "I've enjoyed the opportunity to associate with people who are absolutely on top of their game." Colonel Nixon is the 434th AMDS commander. While Captain Davidson had no prior military experience, it was during a visit with her brother, a KC-135 Stratotanker pilot at MacDill AFB, Fla., which an off-hand comment about her joining started her journey. But, she wasn't so quick to plunge in right away. "I did my homework," said the Champagne, Ill., native. "I have dental school friends who are on active duty, and I discussed it with them." Captain Dahlen's journey began when she started looking for a way to support the military. Her dad served as a Marine, so she first started her journey with the Navy, but changed course when position openings required it. "When I looked into this opportunity in dental school, I wanted the experience to meet new people and have the opportunity for adventure," she said. "There is a very high level of respect here; everybody has a job to do and they do it." While there may be a bit of a learning curve for the new dentists as they settle in, each one knows the importance of oral health and how best to protect it, and each talked about trying to educate unit members. "I didn't know what the Air Force Reserve would be like, but it has been outstanding," said Colonel Martin. "We have some extremely committed troops."
