Saving Face! - Group 5

Saving Face!
April 28, 2005
by JOSN Matt Bullock
dcmilitary.com
Service members at the National Naval Medical Center's Maxillofacial Laboratory work with patients who come to them in need of a head, neck, cranial or dental implant. The Sailors said even though their jobs can be overwhelming at times, they love their line of work.
"It's the most rewarding job in the Navy," said DT1(FMF) Gwen Guilford, a Maxillofacial Laboratory technician and instructor. "I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world."
"It's a satisfying job because we can give our patients the opportunity to show their faces in public again when otherwise they probably wouldn't be afforded that freedom," said CAPT Gerald Grant, chairman of Maxillofacial Prosthetics Department.
"It's fulfilling and rewarding to have a job where you honestly know you're making a real difference in a person's life," said DT2(SW) Shannon Benton, Maxillofacial laboratory technician.
Nine enlisted Sailors make up the laboratory's staff and they're the only ones trained and qualified in the military to do the work. They said the job requires hard work and optimal communication skills.
"Communication is a necessity in our profession and, if we don't have that, then we are unable to perform our job at the level it deserves," Benton said.
"Our success is based on teamwork and we all feel comfortable enough, including our patients, to voice our thoughts and opinions about a particular detail or procedure," Guilford said.
Benton, Grant and Guilford all agree their work frequently becomes personal. They see their patients on more than one occasion and share their lives with one another.
"Our patients are like a second family to us," Guilford said.
"Becoming personal with our patients isn't just something I cherish, it also comes with the job," Benton agreed. "If they aren't comfortable with us, then we can't provide them with the service."
One such patient is retired Marine Master Sgt. Reagon Henry III. He's visited Bethesda for medical care since the '70s and has nothing but good things to say about the hospital.
"This is one of the finest hospitals in the world," Henry said. "I feel privileged to be treated at this hospital and by the dedicated staff working here."
Henry was diagnosed with cancer in 1994 and had to have his nose removed. He comes to the National Naval Medical Center for routine check-ups and new prosthetic noses, as he needs them. He loves the doctors' care so much, he wakes up at 2 a.m. and drives six hours round-trip to the hospital for his appointment.
"The staff are more personal here than any other hospital I've been to," Henry said. "And they're relentless when it comes to making you feel personally satisfied."
Henry's family paid little mind to his prosthetic nose when he initially had it removed, but he said curious children would ask a lot of questions once they become aware of his nose.
"Children tell me my nose looks funny, as they aren't afraid to tell the truth," Henry said. "So I'll take my nose off and look at it and say to them, 'It looks fine to me.'"
The Maxillofacial Prosthetics Department staff said they look forward to Henry's visits because he has a positive attitude and is very cooperative.
"Knowing as many Marines as I have and knowing what they've sacrificed for their country," Henry said, "I consider my situation to be a minor change and I feel very fortunate."
Grant said his staff members are dedicated to providing the best service a patient can receive and patient satisfaction remains a top priority.
"If a patient's treatment requires my staff to get more training, then that's what we'll do," Grant said. "If it costs us more money, then it's more than worth it to make sure these service members receive the medical care they have earned."