Living in Japan

[Yellow Snow]

I have just started the application process for the Air Force program and don't have contact with a "detailer" (don't even know what that is) so I thought I would try and ask here. If I did the program I would definently want to live overseas and probably in Japan because my wife is from there and I used to live there. If Japan/Korea (although Korea is looking less and less attractive) isn't possible it wouldn't be nearly as attractive an option to me.

People are telling me that there are always vacancies in Japan and that if I wanted to payback my years there then it would always be possible. But then I am hearing that you have to do one year stateside before doing any overseas? What sort of say do you have in where you do your payback? Is it true that it is easy to get assigned to Japan if you wanted to?

I also have some concerns about scope of practice. Would you see enough variety on a base to be able to make the transition to private practice smoothly?

Thanks for the help.

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[DirtyMolar]

You can easily get assignment in Japan. For some reason, there are always open billets there. You can do an AEGD over there or as an initial assignment.
There is no requirement to be stateside before heading overseas.

The first three or four years you'll do enough to transition into private practice. Just ask the dozens of LT's that leave the Navy Dental Corp every year... they're doing just fine.

You'll get information about your detailer (in charge of your duty assignments AKA your future) as you get deeper into dental school. Don't worry about him now...they'll be someone else in that position by the time you get to fourth year.