HISTORY OF THE DIRECTORATE OF DENTAL SERVICES

The first Naval Dental Surgery of the Royal Navy (predecessor to the Royal Ceylon Navy) was established in front of the Diving and Salvage Unit near Saigyang Pier in the Naval Base Tincomalee, Mr. Peter, a dental technician trained by dental surgeons of the Royal Navy, continued his service with the Royal Ceylon Navy in its establishment on a permanent basis. Surgeon Lieutenant BR Fernando was the first ever Dental Surgeon of Sri Lanka Navy, and he visited the Naval Dental Surgery Trincomalee twice a week from Colombo where he was based.

In 1950, Naval Dental Surgery in Colombo was established in the Colombo Harbour Dutch Building presently named as Sri Lanka Port Authority Maritime Museum. From 1962 to 1964 the first Air force Dental Surgeon, Squadron Leader S Gunasinghe and Surgeon Lieutenant (D) BR Fernando jointly treated Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force personnel, parliamentarians and VVIP's at this Dental Surgery. Later Surgeon Lieutenant (D) PA Peiris joined SLN on 01^st August 1964, and was stationed in Naval Base Welisara. Shortly after, Surgeon Lieutenant (D) BR Fernando left Sri Lanka Navy, and Surgeon Lieutenant (D) PA Peiris became the Head of the Dental Surgery, Colombo. Subsequently, Surgeon Lieutenant (D) J S Sinniah (NRD – 015) joined SLN on 01^st November 1966 and served in Naval Base Welisara and continued to visit the Trincomalee as practiced by his predecessors.

As a new Dental Surgery was established in 1968 within the premises of Naval Headquarters Colombo, the old Surgery was handed over to the Sri Lanka Air Force.

Surgeon Lieutenant Commander (D) PA Peiris played a pivotal role in commencing Training Courses for Dental Chair-side Assistants and Dental Technicians at the Faculty of Dental Sciences University of Peradeniya. The scheme of training still continues and his initiation was the foundation for training of service personnel in All Three Services.

In 1976, a directorate system was introduced and the Principal Medical Officer became the Head of the Department and the Dental Branch was under his command.

Surgeon Lieutenant (D) WKBRS Fernando (NRD – 0092) joined the Sri Lanka Navy on 16^th January 1980 and Surgeon Lieutenant (D) JADA Perera (NRD 0343) joined on 01^st August 1986. Sub Lieutenant DH Kularathne (NRD 0687) was the first ever dental student who joined Sri Lanka Navy under student enlistment scheme on 20^th June 1991. Surgeon Rear Admiral PA Peiris was the first officer in the Directorate of the Health Services to get promoted to the rank of Surgeon Rear Admiral on 01^st August 1994 in the Naval History. Surgeon Lieutenant (D) RPNN Wijedoru (NRD – 0990) was the first lady officer to join the Dental Branch on 06^th January 1997.

The late President R Premadasa, who visited the Dental Surgery Colombo frequently, took the initiative to build a new building for the Naval Hospital in Naval Headquarters in 1992 and it was a desperate need at that time.

On 29^th July 1997, Dental Surgery in NRTC Boossa was added to the Sri Lanka Naval Dental Service, and on 17^th November 1997 Dental Surgery SLNS Elara was commenced with the aim of providing dental care to all naval personnel in respective areas. The establishment of Dental Surgery at SLNS Pandukabaya on 12^th March 2001, made each naval area had at least one naval dental clinic for the beneficiaries. During the peak of the Elam War, it was a tremendous benefit for the naval personnel to have a dental clinic within the naval premises since the government hospitals and the dental clinics were not properly functioning in certain parts of the Northern and Eastern Provinces. Sri Lanka Navy not only took care of the naval personnel, but also looked into the welfare of the civilians in the area by conducting periodic health camps and dental clinics in war affected zone.

In the Post War Era, many dental/health camps were conducted in the Northern and Eastern Areas for IDPs, resettled people and naval establishments/bases where naval dental officers were not permanently stationed.

Dental Directorate expanded its services through specialized Dental Clinics at the Dental Surgery in Navel Headquarters. Accordingly an Orthodontic Clinic and a Restorative Dental Clinic were commenced to operate in 2002 and 2004 respectively.

Disaster Victim Identification was an important responsibility undertaken by the Directorate of Dental Services Sri Lanka Navy. At the initial stage, it was done by comparing the available dental records with the remains of victim's jaw bones and teeth. In 1996, Surgeon Lieutenant (D) PGRN Manoranjan (NVD 5177), the dental surgeon attached to Eastern naval area identified the first naval person who died in action in the Eastern Sea solely through dental records.

On several occasions, dental records were very much helpful in identification of naval victims. In 2002, a well-planned Disaster Victim Identification Programme was launched in the Sri Lanka Navy.

The followings were at the helm of the Sri Lanka Naval Dental Services:

1. Surgeon Rear Admiral (D) PA Peiris, USP,VSV: was the first Deputy Director of Dental Services (1980-1996).
2. Surgeon Commodore (D) WKBRS Fernando, USP,BDS(SL),DGDP,FICCDE was in the legend as the first Director of Dental Services (2002-2008).
3. Surgeon Rear Admiral (D) JADA Perera, USP,BDS(SL),DGDP,FICCDE was the second Director of Dental Services (2008.08.27-2017.06.16)
4. Surgeon Rear Admiral (D) DH Kularathna, USP,BDS(SL) was the third Director of Dental Services (2017.06.17-2018.10.10)
5. Surgeon Commodore (D) RPNN Wijedoru, USP, BDS(SL),Pg DHDP is the fourth and incumbent Director of Naval Dental Services