MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- Every weekday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Miramar's dentists and dental technicians can be found busily working in the Air Station's Branch Dental Clinic to ensure servicemembers here are in peak dental condition.

To do this, the clinic, located in building 2495, employs 30 dental technicians, 17 dental officers and one civilian registered hygienist, and can perform a variety of treatments.

Petty Officer First Class Daniel Rossi, dental technician with 1st Dental Company, said the clinic is home to an operative department to handle fillings, periodontics to treat gum infection issues, prophylaxis for cleaning, prosthetics for crowns and dentures, oral surgery for tooth extraction and endodontics to perform root canals.

Although services are offered free of charge to the Air Station's servicemembers, some treatments may require referral to a different clinic.

"We do not treat family members or patients in need of orthodontic work or major oral surgeries here," said Rossi. "These types of appointments have to be referred to Balboa or Camp Pendleton dental clinics."

In addition to regular appointments, the clinic can accept emergency visits anytime.

"There is always a dental technician and a dental officer on duty at the clinic In case of emergencies."

Rossi noted that In case of an after hours emergency, patients should call the dental duty on the phone located outside the clinic office.

However, to schedule a regular appointment, patients can stop by the clinic during regular business hours, or call the front desk at (858) 577-4733.