ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam -- Andersen Air Force Base, Guam – U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Alexandra Santos, a dental prophylaxis technician assigned to the 36th Occupational Medical Readiness Squadron, was recognized as the 36th Wing’s Team Andersen Linebacker of the Week, at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, June 7, 2023.
The Team Andersen Linebacker of the Week recognizes outstanding enlisted, officer, civilian and total force personnel who have had an impact on achieving Team Andersen’s mission, vision and priorities.
As a dental prophylaxis technician, Santos provides dental care for the 36th Wing and sister service members. She played a critical role in achieving the dental readiness state of 99.4%, ranking number three of 76 military treatment facilities in the Air Force. Santos manages the clinic’s dental charge of quarters program, which ensures 24/7 clinic coverage for the base population of 8,000 people. Additionally, Santos is the flight safety program monitor. She trains and maintains AF Form 55 Employee Safety and Health Records for 22 members. She collects patient safety reports and performs data analysis, working to develop process improvements for the dental flight.
“I enjoy cleaning teeth, it’s very satisfying to me,” said Santos. “I’ve definitely found my passion.”
Santos has provided dental care for 320 patients, worth $82,000 in values in calendar year 2023. Her actions have contributed to achieving a Class I Wing dental ready rate of 71.6%, the highest in the last three years. She has briefed the 36th Medical Group leadership on two program initiatives and implemented a checklist to ensure accuracy when submitting patient safety reports, which resulted in the dental clinic being awarded the MDG Good Catch award three times.
Santos dedicated six hours to the largest local village enabling a very successful local holiday event benefiting 1,000 families. Furthermore, she led an informational dental booth for the children’s dental health outreach program at Andersen Elementary School, providing proper oral hygiene instructions and spreading awareness to 850 students.
“It’s important to lead by example because it makes it easier for others to follow and do the right thing,” said Santos
The term Linebacker is rooted deep within Team Andersen’s history. Operation Linebacker II took place on Dec. 18, 1972, and was the largest number of heavy bomber strikes launched by the U.S. Air Force since the end of World War II. During the operation, B-52s from Andersen flew round-the-clock bombing missions over North Vietnam to destroy major targets in Hanoi and Haiphong in an effort to bring the Democratic Republic of Vietnam back to negotiations.
The recipient will have the opportunity to sign a “Linebacker” football jersey that will be displayed in the Wing Headquarters building.
Way to go, Santos!