material,   manpower,   civilian   personnel   matters, enlisted training, and the implementation of policy and standards  pertaining  to  management  functions. Director of Branch Dental Clinics The director of a branch dental clinic is a dental officer who is the senior leader at each branch dental clinic. Each branch should have one director who is responsible for providing comprehensive, high quality outpatient oral health care to eligible beneficiaries. They  are  assigned  by  and  are  responsible  to  the commanding  officer  for  the  coordination  of  clinical and administrative services, via the executive officer. All orders issued by the director of a branch dental clinic  will  be  regarded  as  proceeding  from  the commanding  officer. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DENTAL TECHNICIAN RATING The  DT  rating  was  first  established  by  the Secretary of the Navy on 12 December 1947. On 2 April  1948  the  rating  became  effective,  authorizing Dental Technicians to wear the dental rating badge. Dental Technicians and Hospital Corpsmen now make up  Occupational  Field  XIV  (14),  Health  Care.  Figure 1-2 illustrates the dental rating badge. DTs have earned an enviable reputation over the years. Past and present members of the DT rating have been, and continue to be, a responsive and dedicated force of professional men and women, integrally and loyally committed to operational readiness and the health and well-being of Navy and Marine Corps personnel, ashore and afloat, around the world. Your professional,  technical,  and  contingency  skills  are  and  will continue to be an essential element in accomplishing the mission of the Navy Medical Department. The dental health care mission of the DT rating and the supportive  services  you  provide  can  never  be  taken lightly, and are vital to the personnel you serve. ASSIGNMENTS Basic  Dental  Assistants  are  assigned  to  assist dental officers in naval dental centers, naval hospitals, dental departments of ships and stations, naval mobile construction  battalions  (NMCBs),  and  Fleet  Marine Force  (FMF),  and  dental  battalions  and  companies. Assignments to duty stations are made by the DT detailers and are made on the basis of billet structure, Figure 1-2.—Dental rating badge. personnel   qualifications,  and  the  desires  of  each member.  As  a  basic  dental  assistant,  you  will  be qualified to perform numerous general duties. GENERAL DUTIES Basic Dental Assistant’s duties can vary depend- ing on where you are assigned. You must always remember  to  remain  flexible,  meaning  one  day  you could be a chairside assistant, assisting a dentist with patient  care.    Or you could be assigned to the front desk, preparing patients and dental records for dental treatment that day. Here are some of the duties of the DT rating that vou must be qualified to perform: Assisting a dental officer in treating patients. Maintaining the central appointment desk, daily dental appointments, and dental office records. Preparing  dental  treatment  records,  including dental  charts  under  the  direction  of  dental officers. Performing oral prophylactic treatments (dental tooth  polishing)  and  removing  supragingival calculus  (dental  tarter  above  the  gum  line)  under the supervision of a dental officer. Performing preventive dentistry treatments and instructing  patients  in  oral  hygiene  under  the supervision of a dental officer. 1-4