The role of the Royal Air Force Deployed Readiness Preparation Team in the UK.

ABSTRACT

Royal Air Force (RAF) Waddington and Cranwell are both based in Lincolnshire and have Defence Primary Health Care Dental Centres on Station to provide dental care to service personnel. The facility at RAF Waddington was temporarily closed for refurbishment early 2020 and this saw the amalgamation of the two Dental Centres. This, alongside COVID, significantly impacted on the ability to deliver dental care to a combined patient group. Military dental teams are routinely deployed overseas to provide care for patients; however, the Deployed Readiness Preparation Team (DRPT) had not previously been activated in the UK in support of RAF Dental Centres. This UK-based deployment was to be innovative and able to demonstrate the wider utility of the military dental teams and portable equipment, to expand the facility at RAF Cranwell.The aim of this paper is to highlight the key principles and utility of deployable Defence dentistry by discussing the establishment and use of portable dental equipment to facilitate the increased clinical output of a dental centre. Through energetic and focused leadership, training and assurance, dentistry can be delivered with an occupational focus to provide a responsive and deployable care capability in a UK setting.