Dental Airmen polish off residency training

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Curt Beach
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Four Airmen graduated from Barksdale's Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency program here, July 24.

The graduates were Capts. Tomasz Charowski, Clayte Fluke, Andrew Price and Jeffrey Steed.

"This accomplishment is a culmination of four years of undergrad and four years of dental school," said Fluke. "We've brought all that knowledge together during this one-year program so we can practice independently and feel comfortable with all the services we will provide. People will be counting on us to make the final call, and this training has provided the confidence and knowledge to be able to do all the things the specialists here have taught us."

AEGD residency is a post-doctorate program designed to give newly-graduated dentists advanced training with board-certified dental specialists stationed here before they are sent off to bases around the world.

Charowski will head to Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, Fluke to Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, Price to Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, and Steed to Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom.

Barksdale has offered AEGD since 1978, graduating 181 dentists to date. This is the only post-graduate program in Air Force Global Strike Command and is one of only 10 AEGD residencies in the Air Force.

Guest speaker Col. Nancy Motyka, 59th Dental Group deputy commander, Joint Base San Antonio Lackland, Texas, spoke to the graduates about how she was uninspired in her career field prior to joining the Air Force, but how she has since found fulfillment and is now part of something bigger, something that challenges her each day.

"My hope is that each of you will find that same sense of fulfilment," she said. "That's my challenge for each of you. Hone your clinical skills, continue to learn as much as you can. Look for ways to excel in your new clinics and become part of solution rather than contributing to problems."