April 29, 2010
Major Mike Kaiser receives the commendation from USAF Colonel Lorn Heyne, chief of the allied embedded training team, at the Afghan military's Kandahar Regional Military Hospital. Major Kaiser is currently serving overseas as the Deputy Commanding Officer of the Joint Task Force Afghanistan Canadian Health Services Unit (CHSU). He received the commendation for his team's groundbreaking work in establishing a dental mentorship program at the Afghan National Army (ANA) Kandahar Regional Military Hospital. Medical mentorship, whereby coalition medics monitor and guide their Afghan counterparts, is routine at the two-year old military hospital. Dental mentorship developed when CHSU dental staff volunteered their services. Subsequently, the Canadian dental team designed a mentoring program for the Afghan National Army dental staff in order to share knowledge and clinical skills taught in western dental schools and dental assisting programs. As well, the Canadians secured funding to buy a comprehensive set of dental texts for use at the military hospital by ANA dental staff. Major Mike Kaiser at an Afghan National Army Combat Operating Post in Zabul Province. The Canadian Forces' Dental and Medical services have adopted an integrated chain of command and administrative support system under the entity designated Canadian Forces Health Services Group. This integration provides Canadian military dentists and dental technicians with greater opportunities to serve and support CF operations at home and abroad. Mentorship is one of many new roles undertaken by deployed dental staff in support of Canadian Forces (CF) operations. Beyond providing comprehensive dental care for coalition forces personnel and eligible civilians, dental personnel now also provide integral non-clinical medical support to help accomplish the mission of the CHSU. Their ‘new’ responsibilities include crew-commanding a Bison armoured ambulance, managing patient health records for all Canadian Forces members and Department of National Defence contracted civilians, and undertaking patient tracking and administration functions in a multinational field hospital setting. The Canadian dental personnel also mentor CHSU staff on the operation of the CF Health Information System.
Dentistry alumnus Mike Kaiser (Class of ‘96) has been awarded a US Army Commendation and Medal. The Army Commendation Medal is awarded to "a member of the military service of a friendly foreign country who… distinguishes himself/herself by an act of heroism, extraordinary achievement, or meritorious service it has been of a joint benefit to both his/her nation and the United States…"
