PORTSMOUTH, Va. (October 26, 2021) – Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP) recently received two Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) machines to provide a safer tool for dental imaging.

CBCT images provide a 3-D view of a dental patient’s head and neck with reduced radiation exposure than using the more common CT (computed tomography) system. The machines have advanced features such as facial scanning, algorithms that reduce metallic artifact from dental fillings and braces, 14 fields of view that allow for fine tuning of image resolution, and artificial intelligence that ensures staff correctly position patients to reduce the number of retakes.

“Portsmouth had two (CT) machines, both of which were past their eight-year life periods,” said Lt. Cmdr. Joshua Kats, NMCP’s Dental Services associate director. “Downtimes of each machine were becoming more frequent, likely due to high volume of use at Sewell’s Point (Branch Health Clinic Norfolk), the largest dental clinic in the Navy serving 30,000 active duty patients.”

After a 20-month order process from January 2020 to October 2021, a slowed delivery due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CBCT machines arrived ready for installation at NMCP and Branch Health Clinic Norfolk.

“This equipment will positively impact operations by enhancing all dental procedures including oral surgery, orthodontics, implants and endodontics,” added Kats.

The machines are now located in NMCP’s Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department and in the Oral Diagnosis Department at Branch Health Clinic Norfolk’s Dental Clinic.

“True to the adage of being the ‘First and Finest,’ Portsmouth is the first in the Navy to have not one, but two, of these machines,” said Kats. “Image quality from our machines will be the envy of all Navy Oral and Maxillofacial Radiologists, so the efforts here will be shared with other commands.”

As the U.S. Navy's oldest, continuously-operating military hospital since 1830, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth proudly serves past and present military members and their families. The nationally-acclaimed, state-of-the-art medical center, along with the area's 10 branch health and TRICARE Prime Clinics, provide care for the Hampton Roads area. The medical center also supports premier research and teaching programs designed to prepare new doctors, nurses and hospital corpsman for future roles in healing and wellness.