Profiles of Dentists in the Royal Canadian Dental Corps CDA spoke to some current and former RCDC dentists about their service. “My two tours in Afghanistan in 2009 and 2011 were the highlights of my career. I got to experience things that most people never get to,” says Dr. Antonella Trache, who served for 21 years and retired as a Major. “During our deployment, my certified dental assistant Sgt. Angela Brownell and I were able to offer a range of treatments, including direct restorations, root canal therapy, dental extractions, and basic denture repairs, to help maintain the well-being and readiness of NATO soldiers,” says Dr. Jesse Barker, a Major who deployed to Iraq in 2021. “I appreciate the ability, as an RCDC dentist, to work closely with other specialists, both dental and medical alike, for a more collaborative health care approach to Since 1915, the Royal Canadian Dental Corps (RCDC) has played a pivotal role in both World Wars, as well as in Korea, Afghanistan, and in various peacekeeping and humanitarian operations around the world. RCDC dentists have cared for the oral health needs of Canada’s military personnel, both at home and abroad. ensure patient-partnered care,” says Dr. Danial Shirvani, a Captain who has served in Ottawa, including at the Canadian Forces Health Services headquarters. “Military service is an exceptional way of giving back to your community and showing appreciation and respect for the sacrifices of our soldiers in having secured the freedoms we enjoy today as Canadians,” says Dr. Lancelot Brown, who retired with the rank of Captain and is now a dental surgeon in Toronto. In recent years, the RCDC has supported our military personnel by providing care during natural disasters and other crises in Canada, as well as playing a key role in Health Canada’s Canadian Health Measures Survey. CDA honours the contributions of military dentists in the service of Sanitas in ore, the RCDC motto, both in times of war and peace. 18 | 2024 | Issue 6
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