Wisdom Teeth

FEFC

10-Year Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Messages
15
Our son has been DoDMERB Qualified. He is getting his wisdom teeth taken out this week. Does he have to report this to DoDMERB?
 
Ret will confirm, but I believe once DoDMERB has signed off, all reporting goes to USNA. Even sniffles and sprains. Make that EVERY sniffle and sprain until I Day. Pls. correct those who've "been there, done this".
 
FEFC,

If the wisdom teeth extraction goes off without a hitch (no complications), there is no need to let DoDMERB know.

WP,

If an applicant has a new injury/illness that is more than just a minor issue (sniffles, colds, bumps and bruises are minor), both the service academy and DoDMERB need to be notified.

During my days as a reviewer we'd get inundated with new injuries/illnesses from the service academies in the month proceeding I-day (they tended to hold information until the last moment). It made our job much more difficult, especially when the injury/illness occurred in Dec/Jan, and DoDMERB could have cleared it much earlier with all the information.
 
RetNavy ... so, for example ... real in our case.

1. Appointee manages to get pink eye. Dr. prescribes eyedrops. All ok

2. Appointee gets a serious cold/virus/somebug and Dr. prescribes prednisone and a current antibiotic. All ok


Do these types of issues need reporting?
 
Hmm, I'm trying to figure out how to say this.....

oh well, I'll go with the ole saying: "It is better to beg forgiveness than ask permission." or the President Clinton decree "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" if you catch my drift :)

I once heard of a person who had knee surgery after being accepted to a service academy and before reporting and they graduated no problemo.
 
kp2001 said:
I once heard of a person who had knee surgery after being accepted to a service academy and before reporting and they graduated no problemo.

And I've witnessed multiple kids go home on I-Day from USNA for undisclosed medical issues (including an admirals kid). In very rare cases does an applicant who currently has an offer not receive a waiver if DoDMERB happens to disqualify for a new illness/injury as long as the applicant is completely healed.

The problems that I would let DoDMERB know about, any injury where an applicant is out of sports or any other activities for more than a week. Any illness where an applicant is hospitalized for any amount of time, or where the applicant is prescribed any medication other than basic antibiotics (like the prednisone).

The bottom line should be if in doubt, send it to DoDMERB.
 
kp2001 said:
Hmm, I'm trying to figure out how to say this.....

oh well, I'll go with the ole saying: "It is better to beg forgiveness than ask permission." or the President Clinton decree "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" if you catch my drift :)

I once heard of a person who had knee surgery after being accepted to a service academy and before reporting and they graduated no problemo.
Probably not the best advice I have ever heard.

Local high school. Last home game of the season. Visiting QB was carried off the field with a knee injury after the first play of the game. Playoffs. First game against the same team. New QB. Word on the street was the starter blew his knee out bad. QB was a 3Qed shoo-in candidate of mine. After a few weeks I called him and asked how things were going. OBTW, have you reported it to DoDMERB. "No problem. I will be through therapy in May." Told him he should report it. Gave him two months and then informed the Academy myself. It was the only "rolling" rejection I have ever seen.

My advice is to be up front about it. Many sports injuries with modern medicine would allow the candidate to apply the following year.
 
Well I guess I should have qualified my statement a little bit.....simply trying to temper some people's overanxiousness of medical problems and the Academies (lest we get JamzMom to recommend bubble wrap again :) )....

Yes, there are horror stories of kids being sent home on I-day due to medical conditions.....I sat next to the physician at KP as they sent home a basketball recruit for a back injury, the kid and the coach were both a little upset to say the least.

But in all honesty, do you really need to report being sick and needing antibiotics? And should one really need to get worried about it? Antibiotics are prescribed like candy these days (which is another topic of itself).

I like the guidelines HM gave below with the out a week or more or needing hospitalization.
 
RetNavyHM,

Son is scheduled for wisdom teeth removal in docs office in a month. He has accepted his appointment to USAFA. His last contact letter from DoDMERB stated he MUST report any elective surgeries done before I-Day to DoDMERB and USAFA. As minor as the surgery is, shouldn't he still report it?

Side note: The dentist is a 23 yr Navy vet, and the consult lasted a half hour...5 minutes talking wisdom teeth, and 25 minutes talking about Air Force pilots vs. Naval aviators, and the doc telling son how much better off he would be at the Naval Academy to become an aviator. It was all in fun, and it was great to see the respect that the dentist showed for son's choice. Son was truly impressed that the doc took the time to talk academies with him.
 
Stealth_81,

For wisdom teeth extraction, as long as there are no complications, DoDMERB really doesn't need to know (as a reviewer we'd skim the letter to make sure everything was OK, then move it on and complain about the waste of time!). USAFA will need to know, but that’s because they try to build a dental record from scratch before your son shows up on I-Day.

If you want to follow the letter 100% send the information to both places, you won't be doing anything wrong, and as long as there were no complications you will hear nothing from DoDMERB.
 
Thanks! I just wanted to make sure every 'i' is dotted and 't' crossed. Once again I thank you for every time you help someone on this forum.

Stealth_81
 
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