European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 12, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes tuesday May 12,1987 letters letters on dependent dental care answered the army has a True and sure monopoly on Ameri cans Here in Europe something that is outlawed in the states. My childhood dentist told my Mother hat it would be Best to wait until after 1 was 1 it to get braces. Because my problem was from heredity not thumb tucking or something else. Now the rate at growth of my Teeth has slowed Down and would not counteract the result of the braces As soon As they were taken off. One of the benefits of this tour is supposed to be orthodontic care. Requested a consultation from the17th general dispensary for the Frankfurt clinic and was told the army does t care about looks and thai my Teeth had to be in a position where i could t close my Mouth before hey would put on braces. As for the army not caring about looks the process of capping Teeth due to chips or Breaks is done solely for looks. Many dependents receive this treatment i know his procedure costs less than inc other but a Benefit is a Benefit. I feel i should receive the dental care 1 need not what a Demist prefers that i have. My Case a different. My Teeth will continue to grow outward. After braces i will still have to Wear retainers at night la keep them aligned. If i do not receive braces my Teeth will continue to grow until they arc out of my Mouth and i want it taken care of before this happens sine 1 am Here in Germany and they offer the Benefit i should be allowed to at least see an orthodontist. I am in my 20s and know that i is nol too late to have this take care of. Some people would rather have crooked bundled protruding Teeth than Wear braces. Well i am one who would like to smile and not be ashamed. My questions Are 1. Why would a dependent who really need the care be turned Down 2. How does the military dental association decide who can receive orthodontic care i have seen Many military members with braces and think i was old this Only to get the though out of my mind and Settle with my unaligned Leeth. I feel each Case should be handled individually. I should not have been told that my Teeth were not bad enough for braces without a consultation. Nuu withheld gel Hansen Germany editor s note col. Clarence e. Wind Europe orthodontic consultant he 7tb medical Cornel replies there Are lot of misconceptions regarding orthodontic care to the army. 1 Hope hat tills letter will help explain ome of the constraints governing army orthodontics in Camp. The primary Mission of the army orthodontist is to continue treatment for Amity members not to initiate treat Hunt continued treatment Means treatment of family member who Are transferred la Europe Wlllie undergoing orthodontic treatment these patients Are usually hearing headgear braces or retaining appliances. The key emphasis lion continuation of treatment the other category of patients who receive orthodontic can an to family members Ullh severe and Handi capping  bad bite. The american orthodontic society has developed a Point measuring system of a Sessing Duloc Deslon known As the him Index Hnidka Perot Index Malo Comto new cases initiated in Europe Are based on this category of patients. The Only exception to the above two categories Are those patients who receive treatment As a result of traumatic injury. This orthodontic treatment is in con Junction with surgeons caring for injuries to the face. To answer your specific questions Why would a dependent who really a cedi the car offered be turned Down answer he or she would not be turned Down however resources Are limited. For example there Are about 45 orthodontists in the army dental corps and Only 15 Are assigned to Europe. It is simply not possible to treat All patient who might Benefit from orthodontic treatment. Since orthodontic treatment is limited we must direct our emphasis toward patient who Are severely handicapped by their malocclusion. To measure the severity of the Nul occlusion we utilize the him Index. Patients who do not measure High under the him Index assessment do not qualify for treatment. This leads us to your second question How do we in the military decide who can receive orthodontic care answer after a patient is evaluated by the general dentist that dentist May elect to provide Complete treat ment or refer the patient to a specialist such As an orthodontist. The general dentist is highly skilled at diagnosing orthodontic problems and is also aware of our limited treat ment capability. Only those cases expected to meet the minimum him Index Are referred. Even then Only about one third of the referred cases Are actually accepted for care Here in Europe hopefully the remainder will be treated upon returning to the Continental United St lest either in my ilium or civilian facilities. Please be assured that if Yoor Community general dentist stated you did not qualify for orthodontic treat ment. It was not become he or she did not care. Simply we do not have the resources to treat every Case of Raal occlusion. However we will continue to care for those we sent with the Means a our disposal i have bal n Reading the recent articles on the new dental plan Tor military dependents. There is one prob Lem that has not been addressed stateside dependents of Active duty military serving overseas. Although we Are serving an accompanied tour and arc not eligible to participate in the proposed plan my spouse has a dependent from a former marriage who is in the slates and would Benefit from his  husband is obligated under his divorce decree to maintain All military benefits for the child. His sex wife has recently applied for an increase in the support obligation. Her primary justification is the Cost of Den Lal care. What about family my Muci s of Active duty service members who elect to serve unaccompanied Tours or Are in a deferred travel status what about dependents attending school stateside since participation automatically stops when the sponsor goes overseas Are these families going to be left without this coverage during the separation since the plan is nol scheduled to begin until Augustin seems reasonable to solve As Many of the potential problems prior to its  All need to know 1. Can Servic members serving overseas who have stateside dependents request an exception to policy to participate in the. New dental p an 2. How do we apply for an exception to policy 3. How can we obtain a list of the participating  viders in line area where the dependent is located incur Case Monterey Salinas Calif ? it seems that the government the dentists the serv Iceni embers and the dependents would All Benefit from maximum participation in the plan if it is going to work. Mary k. Mana kerch go Elul Germany editor s note David Newhall 111, part Opal Deputy assistant Secretary. Office of the assistant Secretary of defense replies Serl remembers serving overseas with family Mem Bers in the Continental United Stales can enrol them in Lite dental insurance program. The  will need to Contact the appropriate office listed below prior Tojo Lyl 1987. Amy personnel administration Center Navy personnel officer air Force health benefits adviser Marine corps unit personnel officer coast guard  officer Noaa commissioned personnel office Public health service chief services Seel officer services Bronco  building Boom 4-35 5600 Fishers . 208s7 lists of participating providers will be available through local health benefits advisers la the Are where the beneficiary rates before an. 1,1987. In the very near future our office of civilian health and medical program of the uniformed service will it sending out a news release specifically far Oversea con sorption. Your office �u1 been voided a copy. If you need further information please Contact champs information office Aurora Colo 80645 6900, Telephone 303 361-3800. Pen pals i in 2er-Yabt did mate to Wuh i to com xxx Wilhm by pqp4 from Fjor esd. My hour it Muse Fatm trial.  Lump and. L in a in English a French. 1h own on Efret Liibs Lyl 713 1. 2. Flu Omar Ammart 33-Ytir-Ou a tit try Rothh pm to cry a a v   . Pro . Bin sat pm Indus ski your lat t a 2otd. Ind my  to cooing Muiloc. Outing Judith q. Katun kingdom stud Anuj my twi of and Wom to Iram irony. I rely a Bradtl a or  i Nuu a pummel n Row in of that deny of " ski Liuia fun that Ciler cum. Pan Upton Law covering meal surcharges explained t am an officer stationed in Frankfurt. I would like to know Why i must pay a surcharge for Ray meals in the mess Ball that my company utilizes. T was informed that Only the commander May eat in the Ness Hall for the usual Price. I was told this was because it is Felt that commanders Are always with their soldiers and should not be forced to eat away from their place of duty. 1 am a platoon Leader and fee that the same Situa Tion should apply. Every instruction i Ever received on leadership was that you should always do As your sol Diers do to include eating the same food that they do. I am authorized a Basic allowance for subsistence of is 12,65 per month. When i eat every meal in the mess Hall As i generally do 1 end up paying $286.75 which is s 114.10 Over the amount . If i did not have to pay the surcharge it would come out Losi 14 for a 30-Day month which almost matches the amount i am authorized. Is there a Good reason Why the army forces me to pay s174.10 out of my base pay for subsistence the army has an obligation to provide three hots and a cot 10 its soldiers regardless if that Soldier is an officer or an enlisted Man. Ai an 0-1, i simply cannot afford nor do i feel that i should be forced to take Money from my base pay for meals. If the reason is that have Access to my Bachelor officers quarters in which i can Cook my own meals then i would like to know How Many other people have to feed themselves 365 Days a year with Only a refrigerator and a two Burner stove no oven. It is impossible to fun meals with any variety without Access at least loan oven. Plus if i bought All my food $112.65 would hardly be enough for a whole month anyway. My bp9 sits next door to a be which has the same facilities As my boy with the exception that they also have an oven. Of course they have the Choice of cooking heir meals or eating in the mess Hall Wilh Oul the Penally of having to pay a surcharge that was designed for temporary duty personnel. A possible solution would be to Issue officers a meal card with Bas written Over it so that the meal coun ters would know so charge us for our meals. If there was a toy trip that we had logo on the company could Comell our meal cards before we departed so that the proper surcharge would be paid if we utilized a mess Hall while on try. I name withheld Frankfurt editor s note chief warrant officer Wil Liam h. Evans food service technician office of the Deputy chief of staff logistics he l Sarteur re plies Public Law requires that the department of defense collect an appropriate surcharge from All diners exod ing enlisted soldiers not receiving ribs Istace in kid or per diem subsisting la non appropriated fund dining facilities. The Law was established to recover the Dent in expenses of the dining facilities recently Dod has eased the rigidity of the Law by exempting personnel in certain positions la. Command ers food service workers and official by actors front paying surcharge. Any relaxation of the surcharge Law reduces the amount of recoverable opera Tiff expense. Surcharge has not been a popular subject or Deatti understood by the victims of thai Law for seven yen. The increasing tension and constant input from the Field have inspired Dod to explore the possibilities of a better understanding of Why the Law is a mandate and a More equitable application. Regardless of the frustration he present Law Gener ates ii b the Law and we nil have to abide by it until it is revised. 11 is a very time consuming process that must be carefully thought through. We understand your concern and appreciate Yoor question. We can assure you that every Effort is being made to Force Dod la review the policy to determine Kays to relax it or if it is a valid policy