dental care to Somali citizens. In June 1998, the Dental Corps answered the call to provide care in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Steve Clarke, a Dental Officer, was put in charge as Commander, Medical Task Force, 2nd Medical Battalion, to deploy to Haiti. This was a unit composed of 65 medical and dental personnel from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Army. For the next 6 months, the unit provided advanced health service support to assigned US Support Group military personnel, United Nations personnel, and specified contracted civilian employees. In addition, the Medical Task Force conducted humanitarian assistance missions in the Republic of Haiti. On 11 September 2001, at the Pentagon, the Tri-service Branch Dental Clinic personnel were among the first responders to the carnage. Without regard for personal safety, five members ran into the burning building to save lives, while others began initial triage and treatment of the injured. In 2003, Rear Admiral Carol I. Turner became the first female Chief of the Dental Corps. Navy Dental today Today, the Dental Corps continues to maintain high operational readiness for operations in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The dental community is aggressively integrating with both the medical and line communities to prepare for the latest challenge, Homeland Defense. They deploy routinely with Marine Expeditionary Units and aboard ships, where beyond their dental duties, they assume roles in triage and surgical support at Marine Battalion Aid Stations and Battle Dressing Stations. Dental personnel continue to play a significant role in peacekeeping and nation-building through humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in third world countries. See also Army Dental Corps Air Force Dental Corps References External links Dental Corps. Navy.com (Health Care Opportunities) Dental United States Navy Dental Dental organizations based in the United States Medical units and formations of the United States Naval dentistry