Benefits of physicians’ work with law enforcement personnel in field-based operations are ethically rich and complex.

Applying tactical clinical ethics in rescue efforts following disasters is often complicated by chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosive devices that can compromise safety of personnel in the field.

Chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive device mass casualty incidents mean patients require prehospital and hospital care.

Despite availability of good national oral health curricula for medical trainees, most physicians are ill-equipped to identify oral cancers or avoid unnecessary referrals.

Training, service delivery, and financing are done separately in dentistry and general health care, which has influenced reimbursement structures, access to services, and outcomes.

This brief visual and narrative history explains why dentistry exists outside medicine, rather than as a specialty within it.

Some patients who need general medical care before a dental intervention can suffer increased risk for poor outcomes if they have compromised access to care.

High-resolution geographic information system tools map all general dentistry and periodontal practice locations as key sources of health inequity.

In March and April 2020, more than 90% of dental practices were closed entirely or seeing emergency patients only.