Soldiers to Face Jail Time if They Miss Dental Check-Ups
Soldiers in the British Army are facing time in jail if they fail to attend scheduled dental checks, it has been revealed.
New rules are set to be introduced to clamp down on preventable dental illness and prevent the number of soldiers taking leaves of absence associated with decay. Under new regulations, a jail sentence lasting a week will be recommended for those who repeatedly miss appointments with the dentist.
Sanctions for soldiers are outlined in a document entitled Dental FTAs, which stands for failure to attend. For minor discrepancies, soldiers could be deprived of privileges. Missing several appointments could result in detention lasting between 1 and 7 days.
The move is part of a campaign to improve standards of oral health in the army. Research suggests that standards are lower than those in the Royal Navy and the RAF and there is a worry that long campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan could have contributed to further deterioration.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said that it was essential that serving soldiers have good oral health. This is now a requirement for those hoping to gain entry into the military.
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