Presidio of Monterey, Calif. The Army Dental Clinic at the Presidio of Monterey (PoM) has fully transitioned to digital dentistry, marking a significant modernization step aimed at improving soldier readiness and overall quality of care. This change, led by Dr. (Maj.) Dustin Davis and his team, positions the clinic as one of the Armys most technologically advanced dental facilities and demonstrates how innovation in healthcare can directly support mission readiness. Traditionally, replacing a dental crown was a lengthy and frustrating process. Service members first underwent uncomfortable mold impressions, which were shipped to Fort Gordon, Georgia, for fabrication. This approach meant soldiers could wait up to ten weeks for a permanent crown, relying on temporary fixes that often detached within days. The delay forced repeated sick call visits and unnecessary interruptions to training schedules. For soldiers preparing for weapons qualifications, field exercises, or deployments, this downtime created readiness gaps that had operational consequences. The adoption of digital dentistry has transformed this process. Using digital imaging and computer-aided manufacturing, the PoM clinic can now complete a crown replacement in a single day. The change is more than a matter of convenienceit means soldiers can return to training almost immediately, minimizing lost range time and preserving the continuity of weapons instruction and live-fire exercises. Davis emphasized that the clinics new system allows for quicker, more accurate treatments that reduce both physical discomfort and logistical strain on the force. The transformation required significant investment in both equipment and personnel training. Dental technicians who were once skilled at traditional mold-based methods had to undergo extensive retraining to master digital tools. Registered dental assistant Erica Flores admitted the transition was initially intimidating, but noted that the precision and reliability of the digital system quickly proved its value. Former clinic officer Dr. Michael Kroll, a recognized Army digital dentistry expert, played a pivotal role in laying the groundwork for this shift years earlier. Beyond treatment efficiency, the PoM clinic has also upgraded its safety protocols. The facility now employs advanced sterilization systems that exceed typical private practice standards. Instruments pass through separate dirty and clean rooms, temperature-sensitive tape verifies sterilization effectiveness, and filtered water is used to eliminate impurities. Every cycle is carefully logged, creating a record that enhances accountability and ensures consistency. These measures safeguard not only individual patients but also the broader unit by preventing infections that could sideline soldiers during critical training periods. For Army leaders, the modernization of the PoM clinic underscores the link between healthcare innovation and military capability. Dental readiness may not attract the same attention as new rifles or training simulators, but the ripple effect is clear: soldiers with unresolved dental issues lose time on the range, fall behind in qualifications, and risk deployment delays. By shortening treatment times from months to a single day, the Army is effectively buying back thousands of hours of training availability across its ranks. The broader question is how quickly this model can be replicated at other Army installations. If digital dentistry remains limited to PoM, its impact will be localized. However, if scaled across the force, it could reshape how dental readiness contributes to firearms proficiency and overall combat effectiveness. Clinics that can keep soldiers in the fightboth literally and figurativelyplay a critical role in sustaining readiness.