Royal Australian Army Dental Corps
Encyclopedia
The Royal Australian Army Dental Corps (RAADC) is a corps within the Australian Army
. It was formed on 23 April 1943 during World War II
as the Australian Army Dental Corps, before being granted the 'Royal' prefix in 1948. Prior to its formation dentists were part of the Australian Army Medical Corps. The role of the RAADC is to provide dental care to army personnel in order to minimise the requirement for the evacuation of dental casualties, to conserve manpower and to reduce the burden of casualty evacuation. In the post-war years, the corps has provided personnel to deployments in Japan, Korea and Vietnam. It has also contributed to peace-keeping operations in Somalia, Rwanda, Bougainville and East Timor.
as part of the Australian Army Medical Corps. Prior to the war some efforts had been made to try to raise a dental service in the Australian military as part of the institution of universal military service
as a result of lessons learned during the Sudan Expedition
and the Boer War
, however, these attempts had not come to fruition. Upon the outbreak of the war in 1914, the Australian authorities initially saw no need to provide dental services to soldiers, although a number of trained dentists volunteered for service. Largely the services of these volunteers were rejected, however, when the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force
was raised for deployment against German possessions in the Pacific, the senior Australian medical officer, Lieutenant Colonel (later Major General) Neville Howse
, approved the attachment of John Henderson, a fourth year dental student, to deploy with them. Henderson later transferred to the infantry and was killed at Pozieres
in 1916, while serving as a captain
in the 13th Battalion
. He nevertheless has the distinction of being the first dentist to serve in the Army in that capacity.
Later, as the Australian Imperial Force
(AIF) was raised, a dental officer was recruited and situated in each military district with the remit of providing advice to senior medical personnel. They were not to carry out dental procedures, however, and as a result civilian dentists offered free services to soldiers while undertaking training in Australia. Upon the AIF's arrival in Egypt
in 1915, General William Throsby Bridges
argued the case for dentists to be attached to the army in the field, stating that it would reduce the instances of soldiers having to be evacuated from the field as 'dental casualties'. While some progress towards mitigating this was taken in January 1915 when the Australian Army Medical Corps (Dental) Reserve was approved, appointments were slow and consequently the AIF troops that deployed to Gallipoli did so without dental support. By July 1915, over 600 soldiers from the 1st Division
had been evacuated as dental casualties.
In June 1915, a strength of 39 personnel, consisting of 13 lieutenants and 26 senior non commissioned officer and other ranks was authorised. The following month six dental officers were dispatched overseas from Australia, while another four were appointed from personnel already stationed in Egypt. In December 1915 further progress was made when Howse, who was a firm believer in the requirement for dental personnel to provide for the needs of soldiers, was appointed Director General Medical Services AIF. In February 1916, a home establishment was created and the process of creating dental units began in April. Thirty-six dental units were formed at this time, and they were allotted between varying levels of medical facilities ranging from field ambulances to general hospitals and training bases. When the AIF divisions were transferred to France to fight on the Western Front
, these units proceeded with the divisions, with three dental sections being allocated to each division and one unit to each field ambulance.
As the war progressed, the importance placed upon dental health within the AIF increased and by early 1917 stricter standards were being enforced on recruits and dental officers were given the power require personnel to be paraded for dental inspections. Initially, the ranks held by dental officers were honorary, but in June 1917 these were made substantive. In order to improve the management of the service, staff officers were appointed to oversee the units in France, the United Kingdom and Egypt. By the end of the war, there were 130 dental officers serving overseas, representing a ratio of one dental officer per 4,250 men.
, although a small number of permanent dental staff were retained on the establishment. Nevertheless, in 1928 an inspector of dental services was appointed, and although training opportunities were limited due to the economic hardships of the Great Depression
, throughout the interwar years the service developed its capabilities and corporate knowledge through a series of tactical exercises.
, the small number of full time dental personnel were augmented by Militia officers and civilian volunteers. Although early enlistment was low, as part of the mobilisation process, in October 1939 provision was made for the establishment of dental units consisting of one dental officer, two dental mechanics and one clerk orderly, who were to be placed within three field ambulances, one casualty clearing station, two general hospitals and one convalescent depot. Initially, dental equipment and supplies were insufficient for the tasks required, with a single division requiring an estimated 50,000 fillings, 40,000 extractions and 10,000 dentures, however, personnel managed to overcome this through the acquisition of stores from local areas.
On 23 April 1943, authorisation was given for the service to split from the Medical Corps and for the formation of a separate corps known as the Australian Army Dental Corps. Upon the new corps' establishment, it was assigned a "burnt orange" hexagonal colour patch
, however, this was later changed to a rectangular shape in November 1945. By 1944, the corps consisted of 435 dentists. Throughout the war, dental units were deployed alongside fighting troops into all theatres of operation in which Australians were deployed, including the Middle East
and the Pacific
, where they provided emergency treatment as close to the front line as possible, taking part in beach landings and also trekking overland on the Kokoda Track
during the New Guinea campaign
. On occasions dental supplies were dropped by parachute to forward units in the field. Within the operational setting the focus was almost exclusively on emergency treatment, however, and routine or preventative work was undertaken "only when the situation allowed".
By October 1945, the corps had personnel spread across the gamut of organisational structures within the Army, including at formation, corps, line of communication, base and depot levels. Dental officers were also placed on the hospital ships, Manunda
and Wanganella. Following the end of the war, the corps was slowly reduced as the demobilisation process
took place, however, their status as service troops meant that they were retained for longer as there was a requirement for demobilising soldiers from other corps to receive dental treatment prior to discharge. A number of advances in clinical practice occurred during the conflict, with the development of acrylic resin for the manufacture of dentures, the involvement of dental surgeons in facio-maxillary surgery as part of the treatment of soldiers suffering from facial trauma—including plastic surgery and the fitting of moulds for epithelial inlays and skin and bone grafts—as well as developments in the manufacture of artificial eyes.
in 1946. In 1948, Australia's part time military force was re-raised under the guise of the Citizens Military Force (CMF), and dental units were raised in each State to provide support to CMF units. Regular Army units were also raised in each State, and at major training establishments. That year the corps gained Royal assent when they were granted the title of the Royal Australian Army Dental Corps in recognition of its service during the war. At this time the corps colour was changed to green, although it was changed back to burnt orange in 1961. Later, further Regular Army units were raised for overseas service during the Korean War
, Confrontation and the Vietnam War
.
Throughout the Cold War years, the corps was reorganised a number of times during 1960, 1970 and 1981; upon the adoption of the Pentropic divisional establishment
individual units were assigned to divisions "on the basis of one unit per 5,000 troops", although they were not assigned as organic assets. Later, each division was allocated two dental units as organic assets; these were later combined into single units with a headquarters and 12 sections, equipped with light vehicles and trailers, and consisting of 14 officers and 42 soldiers of varying ranks. This represented a ratio of one section per 1,000 personnel.
Throughout the 1990s, the corps contributed to various peacekeeping operations, including those in Northern Iraq, Somalia
, Rwanda
, Bougainville and East Timor
. In 1995, dental units became part of the medical companies that were established within brigade administrative support battalions (BASBs), which were formed through the amalgamation of field ambulance, dental and psych units. The BASBs later became known as combat service support battalions (CSSBs) in 2001. These units are augmented by base level facilities located in each State, which are maintained by tri-service and civilian staff. Due to advances within the basic level of dental fitness required of Australian Army personnel, the current focus of dental care provided by the corps is on prevention, in order to minimise the requirement for the evacuation of dental casualties, to conserve manpower and to reduce the burden of casualty evacuation.
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
. It was formed on 23 April 1943 during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as the Australian Army Dental Corps, before being granted the 'Royal' prefix in 1948. Prior to its formation dentists were part of the Australian Army Medical Corps. The role of the RAADC is to provide dental care to army personnel in order to minimise the requirement for the evacuation of dental casualties, to conserve manpower and to reduce the burden of casualty evacuation. In the post-war years, the corps has provided personnel to deployments in Japan, Korea and Vietnam. It has also contributed to peace-keeping operations in Somalia, Rwanda, Bougainville and East Timor.
World War I
Although it was officially formed in 1943, the corps has its genesis in an earlier formation that was raised for service during World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as part of the Australian Army Medical Corps. Prior to the war some efforts had been made to try to raise a dental service in the Australian military as part of the institution of universal military service
Conscription in Australia
Conscription in Australia, or mandatory military service also known as National Service, has a controversial history dating back to the first years of nationhood...
as a result of lessons learned during the Sudan Expedition
Mahdist War
The Mahdist War was a colonial war of the late 19th century. It was fought between the Mahdist Sudanese and the Egyptian and later British forces. It has also been called the Anglo-Sudan War or the Sudanese Mahdist Revolt. The British have called their part in the conflict the Sudan Campaign...
and the Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, however, these attempts had not come to fruition. Upon the outbreak of the war in 1914, the Australian authorities initially saw no need to provide dental services to soldiers, although a number of trained dentists volunteered for service. Largely the services of these volunteers were rejected, however, when the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force
Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force
The Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force was a small volunteer force of approximately 2,000 men, raised in Australia shortly after the outbreak of the First World War to seize and destroy German wireless stations in German New Guinea in the south-west Pacific...
was raised for deployment against German possessions in the Pacific, the senior Australian medical officer, Lieutenant Colonel (later Major General) Neville Howse
Neville Howse
Major General Sir Neville Reginald Howse VC, KCB, KCMG, KStJ was a British-born Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces...
, approved the attachment of John Henderson, a fourth year dental student, to deploy with them. Henderson later transferred to the infantry and was killed at Pozieres
Battle of Pozières
The Battle of Pozières was a two week struggle for the French village of Pozières and the ridge on which it stands, during the middle stages of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Though British divisions were involved in most phases of the fighting, Pozières is primarily remembered as an Australian battle...
in 1916, while serving as a captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
in the 13th Battalion
13th Battalion (Australia)
The 13th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Originally raised for the 1st Australian Imperial Force during the First World War, it was formed just six weeks after the start of the war. Along with the 14th, 15th and 16th Battalions which were recruited from New South Wales,...
. He nevertheless has the distinction of being the first dentist to serve in the Army in that capacity.
Later, as the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
(AIF) was raised, a dental officer was recruited and situated in each military district with the remit of providing advice to senior medical personnel. They were not to carry out dental procedures, however, and as a result civilian dentists offered free services to soldiers while undertaking training in Australia. Upon the AIF's arrival in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in 1915, General William Throsby Bridges
William Throsby Bridges
Major General Sir William Throsby Bridges KCB, CMG served with Australian forces during World War I, and was the first Australian to reach general officer rank...
argued the case for dentists to be attached to the army in the field, stating that it would reduce the instances of soldiers having to be evacuated from the field as 'dental casualties'. While some progress towards mitigating this was taken in January 1915 when the Australian Army Medical Corps (Dental) Reserve was approved, appointments were slow and consequently the AIF troops that deployed to Gallipoli did so without dental support. By July 1915, over 600 soldiers from the 1st Division
1st Division (Australia)
The 1st Division is the main formation of the Australian Army and contains the majority of the army's regular forces. Its headquarters is in Enoggera, a suburb of Brisbane...
had been evacuated as dental casualties.
In June 1915, a strength of 39 personnel, consisting of 13 lieutenants and 26 senior non commissioned officer and other ranks was authorised. The following month six dental officers were dispatched overseas from Australia, while another four were appointed from personnel already stationed in Egypt. In December 1915 further progress was made when Howse, who was a firm believer in the requirement for dental personnel to provide for the needs of soldiers, was appointed Director General Medical Services AIF. In February 1916, a home establishment was created and the process of creating dental units began in April. Thirty-six dental units were formed at this time, and they were allotted between varying levels of medical facilities ranging from field ambulances to general hospitals and training bases. When the AIF divisions were transferred to France to fight on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
, these units proceeded with the divisions, with three dental sections being allocated to each division and one unit to each field ambulance.
As the war progressed, the importance placed upon dental health within the AIF increased and by early 1917 stricter standards were being enforced on recruits and dental officers were given the power require personnel to be paraded for dental inspections. Initially, the ranks held by dental officers were honorary, but in June 1917 these were made substantive. In order to improve the management of the service, staff officers were appointed to oversee the units in France, the United Kingdom and Egypt. By the end of the war, there were 130 dental officers serving overseas, representing a ratio of one dental officer per 4,250 men.
Inter war years
By 1920, the dental service had been demobilised. During the interwar years, the focus of Australia's military planning was upon maintaining a reduced permanent force with a larger part time military force. The need for dental services was thus greatly reduced and, as a result, they were largely provided by civilian dentists that were also serving in the MilitiaAustralian Army Reserve
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the...
, although a small number of permanent dental staff were retained on the establishment. Nevertheless, in 1928 an inspector of dental services was appointed, and although training opportunities were limited due to the economic hardships of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, throughout the interwar years the service developed its capabilities and corporate knowledge through a series of tactical exercises.
World War II
Following the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the small number of full time dental personnel were augmented by Militia officers and civilian volunteers. Although early enlistment was low, as part of the mobilisation process, in October 1939 provision was made for the establishment of dental units consisting of one dental officer, two dental mechanics and one clerk orderly, who were to be placed within three field ambulances, one casualty clearing station, two general hospitals and one convalescent depot. Initially, dental equipment and supplies were insufficient for the tasks required, with a single division requiring an estimated 50,000 fillings, 40,000 extractions and 10,000 dentures, however, personnel managed to overcome this through the acquisition of stores from local areas.
On 23 April 1943, authorisation was given for the service to split from the Medical Corps and for the formation of a separate corps known as the Australian Army Dental Corps. Upon the new corps' establishment, it was assigned a "burnt orange" hexagonal colour patch
Unit Colour Patch
Unit Colour Patches are worn on the Slouch Hat in the Australian Army to indicate which unit they are from....
, however, this was later changed to a rectangular shape in November 1945. By 1944, the corps consisted of 435 dentists. Throughout the war, dental units were deployed alongside fighting troops into all theatres of operation in which Australians were deployed, including the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and the Pacific
South West Pacific Area
South West Pacific Area was the name given to the Allied supreme military command in the South West Pacific Theatre of World War II. It was one of four major Allied commands in the Pacific theatres of World War II, during 1942–45...
, where they provided emergency treatment as close to the front line as possible, taking part in beach landings and also trekking overland on the Kokoda Track
Kokoda Track
The Kokoda Trail or Track is a single-file foot thoroughfare that runs overland — in a straight line — through the Owen Stanley Range in Papua New Guinea...
during the New Guinea campaign
New Guinea campaign
The New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II.Before the war, the island of New Guinea was split between:...
. On occasions dental supplies were dropped by parachute to forward units in the field. Within the operational setting the focus was almost exclusively on emergency treatment, however, and routine or preventative work was undertaken "only when the situation allowed".
By October 1945, the corps had personnel spread across the gamut of organisational structures within the Army, including at formation, corps, line of communication, base and depot levels. Dental officers were also placed on the hospital ships, Manunda
Manunda
Manunda was an Australian registered and crewed passenger ship which was converted to a hospital ship in 1940. During the war Manunda saw service in both the Middle East and Pacific Campaigns, specifically New Guinea...
and Wanganella. Following the end of the war, the corps was slowly reduced as the demobilisation process
Demobilisation of the Australian military after World War II
The demobilisation of the Australian military after World War II involved discharging almost 600,000 men and women from the military, supporting their transition to civilian life and reducing the three armed services to peacetime strengths...
took place, however, their status as service troops meant that they were retained for longer as there was a requirement for demobilising soldiers from other corps to receive dental treatment prior to discharge. A number of advances in clinical practice occurred during the conflict, with the development of acrylic resin for the manufacture of dentures, the involvement of dental surgeons in facio-maxillary surgery as part of the treatment of soldiers suffering from facial trauma—including plastic surgery and the fitting of moulds for epithelial inlays and skin and bone grafts—as well as developments in the manufacture of artificial eyes.
Post war
During the post-war period, dental units were raised for service in Japan as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation ForceBritish Commonwealth Occupation Force
The British Commonwealth Occupation Force , was the name of the joint Australian, Canadian, British, Indian and New Zealand military forces in occupied Japan, from 21 February 1946 until the end of occupation in 1952...
in 1946. In 1948, Australia's part time military force was re-raised under the guise of the Citizens Military Force (CMF), and dental units were raised in each State to provide support to CMF units. Regular Army units were also raised in each State, and at major training establishments. That year the corps gained Royal assent when they were granted the title of the Royal Australian Army Dental Corps in recognition of its service during the war. At this time the corps colour was changed to green, although it was changed back to burnt orange in 1961. Later, further Regular Army units were raised for overseas service during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, Confrontation and the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
Throughout the Cold War years, the corps was reorganised a number of times during 1960, 1970 and 1981; upon the adoption of the Pentropic divisional establishment
Pentropic organisation
The Pentropic organisation was a military organisation used by the Australian Army between 1960 and 1965. It was based on the United States Army's pentomic organisation and involved reorganising most of the Army's combat units into units based on five elements, rather than the previous three or...
individual units were assigned to divisions "on the basis of one unit per 5,000 troops", although they were not assigned as organic assets. Later, each division was allocated two dental units as organic assets; these were later combined into single units with a headquarters and 12 sections, equipped with light vehicles and trailers, and consisting of 14 officers and 42 soldiers of varying ranks. This represented a ratio of one section per 1,000 personnel.
Throughout the 1990s, the corps contributed to various peacekeeping operations, including those in Northern Iraq, Somalia
Operation Solace
Operation Solace was the Australian Defence Force's main contribution to the Unified Task Force which was a United States led, United Nations sanctioned, multinational force which operated in the Republic of Somalia from 9 December 1992 to 4 May 1993...
, Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, Bougainville and East Timor
INTERFET
The International Force for East Timor was a multinational peacekeeping taskforce, mandated by the United Nations to address the humanitarian and security crisis which took place in East Timor from 1999–2000 until the arrival of United Nations peacekeepers...
. In 1995, dental units became part of the medical companies that were established within brigade administrative support battalions (BASBs), which were formed through the amalgamation of field ambulance, dental and psych units. The BASBs later became known as combat service support battalions (CSSBs) in 2001. These units are augmented by base level facilities located in each State, which are maintained by tri-service and civilian staff. Due to advances within the basic level of dental fitness required of Australian Army personnel, the current focus of dental care provided by the corps is on prevention, in order to minimise the requirement for the evacuation of dental casualties, to conserve manpower and to reduce the burden of casualty evacuation.