What happens next?

[Sierra]

This is the Coast Guard Academy page. I assure they, they take out all wisdom teeth there and I've been hearing some bad stories from my cadet. As recent as this past week. I can't disagree more with what you're saying, based on what I've been seeing at the CGA. But perhaps medical care is better where your son is. Just throwing out my advice and cadets can take it or leave it. (Of course they should consult with their own medical provider, but I figured that was a given.)

Not everyone’s teeth come out, or maybe just two for some people. The week I got my teeth out at school was sweet, I didn’t have to do a thing for a week and if it was worse I could have stretched it longer. Missing class isn’t as big of a deal as you might think, especially post Covid where there is a recording of every lesson.

I will say, I missed a sport competition so that was less cool. I thought I could make it without getting them out, but at my commissioning physical they told me they wanted them out and there wasn’t much choice in when I got them out. But I wouldn’t say hard and fast it is better to get them out before reporting unless they are prime ready.

Concur that clinic medical care is usually bad but they have the wisdom teeth thing down pretty good.

 

[scprepoh]

Wisdom teeth have to come out to go on a ship I believe. You can get them done at the academy I believe, but I know a lot about f folks get it done the summer before so they have time to heal. It wasn't too bad when I got my wisdow teeth out, but my son was out of action a few days after he got his out.

 

[Haveaniceday]

Historically at USCGA the wisdom teeth had to come out by your commissioning physical senior (1/c) year. Best to wait until the teeth emerge and follow the dentist guidance as each mouth is different. If wisdom teeth have not emerged by commissioning physical they will send you off-post to an oral surgeon to take them out. A relative cadet had a good experience overall. There was a complication with one of the teeth and one of the USCG academy dentists actually follows all the off-post oral surgeon cases. When the cadet was having a bumpy time after the procedure, they informed the academy dentist and the academy dentist came in on a Saturday and opened up the clinic just to see the cadet and follow up personally. In the end it all worked out fine.

I know everyone's experience is different, but it was very nice for the academy dentist to open the clinic on a weekend to see a cadet. I would say the care was better at USCGA than the cadet would have got in most civilian settings.

One tip, Tri-Care pays 100% for the extraction. But, there is an option for additional longer lasting pain meds and the cadets family paid a little extra for that, which the cadet reports made the recovery much better than for others. Just like civilian insurance, Tri-Care has its rules, but you can always talk to the dentist and they will explain options available.

Also, after wisdom teeth extraction the cadet will be SIQ (sick in quarters) for a few days. This is a good time to visit and some cadets try to get the wisdom teeth removed on a Thursday or Friday and then get a pass, and so some of the recovery with their parents in a hotel, etc. Just a option if the cadet works with their chain of command etc. Again, since most extractions are senior 1/c year, the cadets have maximum privileges to be off base etc. SIQ in Chase hall is not the best of times