Dr. Townsend finds calling with U.S. Army Dental Corps

Waterloo, Iowa鈥擠r. James D. Townsend retired last year and joined his wife and office manager, Terry, in prayer for guidance after 24 years of private practice dentistry in his hometown.

“We have always considered our practice as our ministry,” he told the ADA News. “In fact, when we decided it might be time to make some changes we fasted for a week. During that time we prayed and attempted to discern how God might use us next. The day after we finished our fast we got a letter in the mail from the Army about how short of dentists they were and inviting me to come and serve. Our initial reaction was, this is not exactly what we had in mind, and do they realize how old I am now?”

Dr. Townsend went through dental school at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry on an Army health scholarship. On graduating in 1980, he entered active duty service with the U.S. Army Dental Corps where he completed a general practice residency as well as exodontia and anesthesia training. He then served as the officer in charge of an oral surgery service for two years, leaving the Army in 1984 to enter private practice.

“It was because of this training and experience that I was able to have such a successful private practice experience,” he said. “Coming back to the military was in part to give something back for all I was given.”

Dr. Townsend also said that a grandfather served in World War I and his father in World War II, “so it is a bit of a tradition for the men in my family to serve their country in time of war.”

About his age and a return to active duty, he said, “It was a relatively simple process to get the age waiver. The recruiter simply had to apply to Washington, and with the shortage of dentists it was granted very quickly. I am now 55 and with the present need for dentists can easily expect to stay on active duty until I wish to retire from dentistry at age 65 or beyond.”

Lt. Col. Townsend’s first assignment on reactivation after private practice was to Fort Campbell, Ky., where he serves as a general dental officer. Dr. Townsend hopes to be selected for residency training. He can be reached by e-mail at james.d.townsend1@us.army.mil.

But you might not be reading his story were it not for an Army recruiter’s chance decision “to slip into the dental clinic and ask someone to see me and take care of my dental needs. As I always do, I began my recruiting spiel to my civilian dentist about Army health care. He informed me he was already a retired dentist but he had someone I should meet, and he motioned for Lt. Col. Townsend to come in the office.

“I noticed a spark about him,” the recruiter continued. “He was so gracious and so excited that he was coming into contact with an Army health care recruiter. He informed me that he had a great experience in making this transition and would like to know how he could get his story out to the public. I immediately got on the horn and contacted the ADA and the Recruiting Journal [a military publication].”

In an “unclassified” e-mail to the ADA News at ADA.org, she wrote, “Good morning, my name is Capt. Amy McIntosh and I am the Army Health Care Recruiter for Nashville, Tenn. I was recently approached by a retired dentist who has decided to serve his country and he has an awesome story to tell. I thought maybe we could do a story on this and publish it.”

And Capt. McIntosh wants you to know this: “Dr. Townsend is also very proud to say he has been an active member of the ADA for all 29 years of his practice experience.” She can be reached at U.S. Army Health Care Recruiting, 443 Donelson Pike, Suite 105, Nashville, Tenn. 37214; office 1-615-874-5002 or toll free 1-877-371-3819; fax 1-615-874-8935; e-mail Amy.McIntosh@usarec.army.mil.聽