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<p>Post traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) and dental practice<br>Lieutenant Colonel Sara A. Dixon, USAF, DC and Captain Morris A. Branch, DC, USN<br><br>Introduction<br>As a military dental provider, it is important to have an awareness concerning post traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), a “signature injury” of service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Unlike conventional traumatic injuries, PTSD is not apparent on visual exam; however, PTSD patients often present with increased anxiety, fear, general arousal, pain and dysfunction which present management challenges for the dental health care team.<br><br>The likelihood of a military dental provider encountering a patient with PTSD is high. It is estimated that 1.5-1.64 million military personnel have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan since 2001. A RAND Corporation study reported 14% of soldiers returning from the com-bat zone screened positive for PTSD. Another investigation showed approximately 78% of injured personnel experienced mental health problems with PTSD being the most common diagnosis (44%). An increased prevalence of PTSD is not unique to the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. A recent study found an 18.7% life-time rate of PTSD for veterans of the Vietnam War.5 By comparison, PTSD has a lifetime prevalence of 1-14% in the general population.<br></p>
<br>Subjects: Stress Disorders; Post-Traumatic; Iraq; Afghanistan; military medicine</div>
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U.S. Navy. Naval Postgraduate Dental School</div>
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