Air Force's newest dental clinic to land at Buckley

Dental Clinic

From left, Kevin Slattery, Doyon Government Group president, Col. Michael Kindt, 460th Medical Group commander, Col. Michael Cunningham, Air Force Dental Corps director, Lt. Col. Kelly Dorenkott, 460th Medical Operations Squadron commander and Col. John Wagner, 460th Space Wing commander, break ground on the new dental clinic Aug. 3, 2015, on Buckley Air Force Base, Colo. The expansion and reconfiguration of the 460th MDG and 140th MDG building is expected to be completed June 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke W. Nowakowski/Released)

Published Aug. 4, 2015
By Airman 1st Class Luke W. Nowakowski
460th Space Wing Public Affairs

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Team Buckley broke ground on a new on-base dental clinic Aug. 3 on Buckley Air Force Base, Colo.

Buckley is currently the only Air Force Base without a dental clinic on base. The new dental clinic will allow Team Buckley members to receive dental care on base instead of having to look off base for care. The convenience of a dental clinic on base will increase productivity that would normally be lost by Team Buckley members having to go off base for care.

"A new Dental Clinic to serve our population of 3,500 active-duty beneficiaries is a great addition to not only to the medical capabilities of Buckley, but also to the efficiency and effectiveness of the 460th Space Wing and all of our mission partners on base and in the local area," said Col. Michael Kindt, 460th Medical Group commander and host for the groundbreaking. "We will be able to treat people more quickly, with less time away from duty, and provide commanders better awareness of the dental readiness of their personnel."

The dental clinic also contributes to Col. John Wagner's, 460 SW commander, initiative of "Building a Better Buckley Together," or B3T.

The construction of a new dental clinic will also include renovations to the existing medical clinic in order to allow for better patient flow.

The dental clinic will have 12 rooms for dental care with a staff of 22. Types of care that will be provided include dental exams, cleanings and restorations. Periodontics, endodontics and oral surgery will also be provided at the clinic, which is expected to be complete June 2016.