European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 20, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes thursday. February 20,1986 Here s a Job you can sink your Teeth into american red Cross volunteers helping dentists in Hanao clinic by Connie Dickey staff liter ii Anau Germany going to the dentist is not something most people Inok Forward to but Donna i tronc Anil eight other american red Cross volunteers can t Wail to gel to the Lanau dental clinic. They Are students in the area s first formal program for on Lac Job training of volunteers to help As dental assistants. The clinic has 10 deists each assigned one full time assistant. But with High turnover and Normal leave time there never seems to be enough help said or. Capt Theresa gone alas the dentist who oversees the program. Col. Richard Foster assistant chief of staff Tor dental services. 7th medical come. Is enthusiastic about having volunteers in the dental clinics. The red Cross has a positive program going with the Volunteer assistants. I would like to see More of them in the clinics because they help us give the kind of care we want to provide Foster said. The three month class which is about two thirds finished takes the students from learning Basic dental vocabulary to assisting a dentist during surgery. They will have More than 100 hours of training when they finish and will be competent and confident enough to rotate throughout the clinic helping dentists with whatever needs to be done. They also will have a skill to offer during Job Hunting in the Stales. In slates where there is no formalized training requirements these volunteers will have a leg up on others applying for dental assistant positions said Ron Buchanan. American red Cross station manager. I have always liked volunteering and do have extra Lime during the Day so i became a red Cross vol  Broome said. Gone alas said the dental staff appreciates the volunteers efforts and offers support. The clinic provides dental care for about 16,500  and their families. We need the support of professionals whether it s on the denial or medical Side to make a program such As this  said Karen Hillman red Cross chairman of volunteers. Because of budget cuts it is going to get harder to hire the personnel to fill the positions so More volunteers arc going to be seen working in those  gon alas said she was approached by inc clinic com language course becomes reunion for 2 soldiers by Charlie Bowden Munich Bureau Munich when Sec. Bill Olson reported to the army foreign language training Center he was told his Roommate s name was Baker. Olson did t expect him to be a classmate from 20 years ago. The last we saw of each other was in school and Here we arc 20 years later Back in school gelling re acquainted said Sec. George Baker. The two arc attending an intense four week refresher course Al inc language Center in Munich. Olson assigned to the i65lh military intelligence in in Wiesbaden is brushing up his russian language skills. Baker assigned 10 the combined maintenance Center in Augsburg is studying German. As is inc Case Wilh Many classmates the two did t keep in touch after High school. After graduation he  in inc army and i a Cal to College to continue wrestling said Olson who Lacr joined inc army got Oul and then came Back in again. Although the two were nol chums in High school they lived in the same neighbourhood in Fremont calif., shared classes and were in the school band something both remember fondly. We were both into music Baker said. I played Anstrum cols and he was the drum major. We called him i talc  in inc school yearbook the two Are featured in three group pictures one showing hem standing Side by Side. Baker nearly a head taller than Olson. Baker still stands practically a head above Olson but both men have added some pounds to their frames Over the years and As Baker said lost some  r or. Capt Larry Myers of the Hanau denial clinic gels a hand from Cheryl Barnard right who is training As a red Cross Volunteer dental assistant. Dental assistant Gail Greene Center supervises Barnard while Myers does a Root canal on a patient. Greene was trained in the program in the United states. Mandr. Col Edward a. Porst about trying to get a More involved Volunteer program in the clinic. I con acted inc red Cross and we Sal Down and came up Wilh this Type of program she said. Foster said that although not All clinics in Germany use volunteers As assistants a High  do and some Are More aggressive Wilh inc program than of hrs. According to Safe air Force denial clinics also use red Cross Volun cars. The rams Cin a Germany denial clinic recently started an intensive training pro Gram for volunteers to become denial assistants. There just arc nol enough full time assistants to help us do our Job right Foster said. In fact we can use the red Cross volunteers throughout our dental clinics not just As assistants bul doing clerical work  besides giving much needed help to the a enlists inc training gives More satisfaction to volunteers than just answering phones at the Hanau clinic. The Volun cars can Sci up Anstrum cols and sterilize them Chart information in a pal enl s record and help the dentist during examinations and . The assistants also schedule appointments prepare patients for inc Dent isl and assist during surgery. We have to study in order to pass inc quizzes said Cheryl Barnard chairman of the dental clinic vol Una cars. Since she is in inc denial clinic so Oflyn. She decided to Lake the course herself. I be found that the More i come in the More i learn she said. Gonzales said the Volun cars Are Al the Point in their training Hal they can work with any of the dentists Wilhour close supervision. Bul one person is always near to help the volunteers sol. Mic Chicco Thompson inc dental assistant assigned to help gon alas. Frankly inc volunteers arc learning just As much from sol. Thompson As from the  Gonzales said. Mic Chicco is there to help us if we get nervous or during a surgery if we feel uneasy she helps us gel through it Broome said. The red Cross is selective about who gets to Lake the program and limits inc size of the group to 10. During the initial screening interview strict rules and requirements arc spelled Oul. The Volun cars must pass the quizzes and a final lest come to class Ihrck absences and they Are out buy their own red Cross smocks Blue or Black Slacks and while Canvas or leather shoes Wear no dangling earrings and keep their hair up. If anyone had any doubts or if i selected grimaces during my interview Wilh them i put thai person on inc Bottom of the list Hileman said. Bul there is no Lack of Volun cars. Hileman said inc next two classes already Are filled. Because of the response the red Cross is now Selling up inc program at the flick Cohorst Cavern dental clinic. This program has spread by word of  Broome said. A Licals have asked about it and people have stopped me on the so Eccl to ask How icy go about gel Ling into the  is photo by Charlt Bow offi Sec. Bill Olson left looks Over a 1956 Washington High school yearbook with Sec. George Baker. Baker who will retire in september plans to run a Dairy farm with his German wife in a Small Community just South of Munich Olson who says he s can Converse in three languages and has passable proficiency in three others is bound this summer for an assignment As an instructor at Good fellow fab Texas. But the Chance meeting at the army school in Munich has Given both men a special goal that neither had even considered a few weeks ago. Both Are determined to return this year to Fremont s Washington High school for their 20-year reunion. We Don t know when it is yet said Olson but Well find out and we re