Dr. Antonella Trache (Maj) served as an oral and maxillofacial trauma surgeon in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) during two tours in Afghanistan. “We didn’t turn anybody away who came to the hospital in the Kandahar region, so we treated Canadian, American, European and Afghan military personnel, but also many Afghan civilians,” she says. Dr. Trache retired from the military in 2013 after 21 years of service, and now teaches at the University of Alberta School of Dentistry as the discipline lead for oral and maxillofacial surgery. Dr. Danial Shirvani (Capt) served in various locations in Ottawa, including at the dental clinics in Montfort Hospital, the National Defence Headquarters, and, most recently, in a staff officer position at the Canadian Forces Health Services headquarters, working directly for the CAF Chief Dental Officer. “The biggest privilege of serving in the CAF, especially being an immigrant to this country, is honouring those who came before us and made the ultimate sacrifice so that we may enjoy the peace and freedoms of today,” says Dr. Shirvani. Dr. Lancelot Brown (Capt) provided general dentistry to troops at CFB Chatham, New Brunswick, deployed in a mobile dental van to the field at CFB Gagetown, New Brunswick, in support of Air Defence Artillery troops, and served as the Officer in Charge of the Royal Military College Dental Clinic at CFB Kingston, Ontario. “In 1986, during phase training at CFB Gagetown, I had the privilege of spending a day on the artillery range operating a towed M105 Howitzer, as well as an M109 mobile Howitzer,” he says. “This experience gave me a unique perspective into the daily lives of the soldiers to whom I provided care.” Dr. Jesse Barker (Maj) and Angela Brownell (Sgt), certified dental assistant, were deployed to Erbil Air Base, Iraq, in 2021. Their clinic was a fully equipped facility, housed in a repurposed shipping container, designed to provide general dental care, including fillings, radiography, and sterilization. During their deployment, the pair provided oral health care to help maintain the well-being and readiness of NATO soldiers. Dr. Antonella Trache (Maj) Dr. Danial Shirvani (Capt) Dr. Lancelot Brown (Capt) Dr. Jesse Barker (Maj) 19 Issue 6 | 2024 | Issues and People
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